In a recent initiative aimed at enhancing counter-terrorism strategies, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the ‘PRAHAAR – CT Policy and Strategy’ conference in New Delhi on Monday, advocating for a more robust, institutionalized framework that embraces a comprehensive societal approach to tackling terrorism.
During his address, Shah emphasized the necessity of fortifying the PRAHAAR strategy through ongoing assessments of terror-related incidents, alongside the establishment of a definitive mechanism for the next decade.
Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of disseminating the principles of PRAHAAR down to local police stations, underscoring the need for seamless coordination among all relevant stakeholders to eliminate delays in response efforts.
In addition to this, the Home Minister unveiled a new “extradition portal” designed to facilitate the swift return of fugitives residing abroad and called upon state police forces to form specialized teams dedicated to tracking these individuals.
This conference is anticipated to create a collaborative environment for Central and state agencies, fostering discussions on counter-terrorism policy, operational readiness, inter-agency responses, and long-term strategies to bolster resilience against terrorism.
To provide further insight into PRAHAAR, it is recognized as India’s inaugural comprehensive counter-terrorism policy, which was introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in February 2026. The policy outlines a broad conceptual framework for addressing terrorism, detailing past actions and future plans.
The foundation of PRAHAAR is built upon principles of “zero tolerance,” intelligence-driven prevention, and a coordinated response to extremist violence. The term ‘PRAHAAR,’ which translates to ‘strike,’ encapsulates a multi-faceted plan organized around seven core pillars.
The document reiterates India’s unwavering stance of zero tolerance toward terrorism, declaring that violence can never be justified. It explicitly states that terrorism should not be linked to any specific religion, ethnicity, or civilization, while acknowledging that certain regional countries have occasionally utilized terrorism as a tool of state policy.
PRAHAAR also addresses the persistent challenge of cross-border terrorism, identifying global terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS) as threats that have tried to instigate violence in India through sleeper cells. Additionally, it highlights the conspiratorial activities conducted from foreign territories and the employment of emerging technologies, including drones, to facilitate terrorist activities in regions like Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
The strategy aims to obstruct terrorists, their financial backers, and supporters from accessing resources, weaponry, and safe havens, both domestically and internationally, while evolving India’s counter-terrorism responses to address emerging technological and transnational threats.
PRAHAAR advocates for a seven-pillar response framework, which includes:
- Intelligence-driven prevention and real-time inter-agency cooperation to disrupt propaganda, sleeper cells, funding, and arms distribution.
- A rapid and proportionate response led by local law enforcement, supported by specialized counter-terror units.
- Enhanced capabilities through police modernization and uniform training protocols.
- Strict adherence to human rights standards and the rule of law.
- A structured de-radicalization approach and community engagement focused on youth and women.
- International cooperation through intelligence exchange, legal support, extradition processes, and multilateral designations.
- Restoration and resilience via a whole-of-society approach, backed by a clear political commitment to a zero-tolerance stance on terrorism, independent of any religious or identity-based affiliations.
Beyond enforcement strategies, the policy emphasizes collaboration with medical professionals, psychologists, legal experts, NGOs, and community leaders to raise awareness and reintegrate affected communities.
The document also points out the challenges posed by modern technologies, such as drones, encrypted communications, and cyber platforms, which have enabled terrorist organizations to operate discreetly. It raises alarms about the potential access to CBRNED materials (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive, digital) and the misuse of drones and robotics, as well as cyberattacks by both state and non-state actors.
Moreover, the policy highlights the exploitation of social media and messaging platforms for recruitment, propaganda, and coordination, advocating for proactive measures to disrupt these online networks. The emphasis on asymmetric and technologically-driven threats marks a significant evolution in the understanding of national security.
On September 24, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned against perceiving national security solely in terms of protecting geographical borders, a viewpoint he described as a “perimeter fallacy.” He emphasized the importance of recognizing the changing landscape of threats, which now includes drones, cyberattacks, solitary attacks, and disinformation campaigns, in addition to traditional military confrontations.
Singh’s assertions were reinforced by the Union Home Ministry’s 2023 report, which indicated the use of drones for smuggling arms from Pakistan into India, particularly through the Punjab border. A government statement from March 2023 noted 28 incidents in three years involving the recovery of drones linked to arms and narcotics trafficking. This underlines Singh’s argument that, although protecting territorial integrity remains crucial, it is insufficient for defining the full scope of national security.
