Centre unveils policy to tackle terror threats

PRAHAAR — India's National Counter-Terrorism Policy & Strategy

UPSC Prelims + Mains Study Note

1. At a Glance

• PRAHAAR (meaning "strike") is India's first-ever comprehensive National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy, released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 23 February 2026. [S1]
• It transitions India from a fragmented, reactive internal-security approach to a unified, proactive, whole-of-government doctrine integrating counter-terrorism, counter-radicalization, cybersecurity, and societal resilience. [S1][S2]
• Critical for UPSC because it cuts across GS-III (Internal Security), GS-II (Governance), and GS-IV (Ethics) and is the most significant Indian security-policy document in decades.
• Explicitly rejects linking terrorism to any religion, ethnicity, nationality, or civilisation — a key normative stance with geopolitical implications. [S3]

2. Why in the News

• The Union Home Ministry uploaded PRAHAAR on its official website on 23 February 2026, making it publicly available for the first time. [S1][S3]
• The Hindu had first reported (23 December 2025) that the National Counter Terrorism Policy and Strategy had been finalised and would be released imminently. [S3]
• The release coincided with heightened concerns over cross-border sponsored terrorism, escalating cyber-attacks by nation-states and criminal hackers, and the continued threat posed by al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) targeting India. [S3]

3. Background & Evolution

4. Core Static Facts

Name & Acronym - Full title: National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy - Branding: PRAHAAR (Hindi: "strike/assault")

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) [S1]

Document Status: Policy (not a statute); uploaded as PDF on mha.gov.in [S1]

The Seven Pillars of PRAHAAR [S1][S2]:

Threat vectors identified: - Land, water, and air — all three frontiers explicitly named. [S3] - Cyber domain — "criminal hackers and nation-states" target India. [S3] - Critical sectors protected: power, railways, aviation, ports, defence, space, atomic energy. [S3]

Legal Framework (enabling statutes): [S2] - UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) / Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) / Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) - PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) - Arms Act, Explosives Act

Key agency: National Investigation Agency (NIA) — apex body for terror investigations and prosecution. [S2]

Normative stance: India does not link terrorism to any specific religion, ethnicity, nationality or civilisation. [S3]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Geopolitical / Strategic

• Explicitly acknowledges "sponsored terrorism" from across the border with Jihadi terror outfits (Pakistan-linked) planning and executing attacks — diplomatically significant phrasing. [S3]
• Global terrorist groups al-Qaeda and IS have targeted India; policy provides a framework for bilateral cooperation to counter them. [S3]
• Strengthens engagement with UN, Interpol, FATF through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) and joint working groups. [S2]
• Dovetails with India's push at the UN Security Council for a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT). [S2]

Legal / Constitutional

• No new legislation; PRAHAAR operates within existing statutory framework — UAPA, BNS, PMLA — ensuring judicial oversight and due process. [S2]
• Aims at criminalising all terrorist acts and denying terrorists, financiers, and supporters access to funding, weapons, and safe havens. [S3]
• The 2019 UAPA amendment (designation of individuals as terrorists) is a critical tool under this policy. [S2]

Administrative / Governance

• Marks shift from siloed agency responses (state police, CRPF, IB, RAW) to a whole-of-government integrated command posture. [S1]
• NIA anchors investigation and prosecution; policy pushes for high conviction rates. [S2]
• Addresses federal dimension: centre-state coordination in counter-terror operations (since law-and-order is a state subject under Schedule VII). [S2]

Scientific / Technological

• Recognises cyberspace as a distinct terror-threat domain; "criminal hackers and nation-states" explicitly called out. [S3]
• Capacity-building extended to protect space and atomic energy infrastructure — signals concern about critical information infrastructure attacks. [S3]
• Aligns with CERT-In and NCIIPC frameworks for cyber protection. [S2]

Social / Ethical

• Emphasises human rights-compliant operations as a dedicated pillar — addresses concerns about misuse of counter-terror laws against civil society. [S1]
• Includes counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation components — whole-of-society approach involving communities, civil society, and media. [S1]
• Victim rehabilitation and societal resilience are explicit policy goals. [S1]

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• 23 December 2025 — The Hindu first reported the National Counter Terrorism Policy had been finalised. [S3]
• 23 February 2026 — MHA officially released PRAHAAR on mha.gov.in; PDF publicly uploaded. [S1][S3]
• Policy confirms India faces threats on all three frontiers (land, water, air) and from cyber domain. [S3]
• Policy emphasises zero-tolerance approach and denial of funding, weapons, and safe havens to terrorists. [S3]
• Integration with BNS/BNSS/BSA (2023 criminal law reforms replacing IPC/CrPC/IEA) signalled — making PRAHAAR the first policy document to formally incorporate the new criminal code framework in the security domain. [S2]

7. Prelims Hooks (high-density factual bullets)

1. PRAHAAR is India's first-ever National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy. [S1]
2. Released by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 23 February 2026. [S1]
3. The document is publicly available as a PDF on mha.gov.in. [S1]
4. PRAHAAR identifies seven pillars: Prevention, Response, Aggregation of capacity, Human rights, Addressing radicalisation, Alliances (international), Recovery. [S1]
5. India identifies terrorist threats on all three frontiers — land, water, and air. [S3]
6. Cyber-attacks by criminal hackers and nation-states are explicitly named as threats alongside conventional terrorism. [S3]
7. Critical sectors explicitly listed: power, railways, aviation, ports, defence, space, atomic energy. [S3]
8. Policy does not link terrorism to any religion, ethnicity, nationality or civilisation — a formal stated position. [S3]
9. Acknowledges "sponsored terrorism from across the border" with Jihadi outfits — direct (though not named) reference to Pakistan. [S3]
10. al-Qaeda and IS are named as global terrorist groups targeting India. [S3]
11. Primary legal backbone: UAPA, BNS, BNSS, BSA, PMLA, Arms Act, Explosives Act. [S2]
12. NIA is the nodal agency for counter-terror investigation and prosecution under this policy. [S2]
13. Policy aims to deny terrorists access to funding, weapons, and safe havens — mirroring FATF language. [S3]
14. The Hindu first reported the policy's finalisation on 23 December 2025 — two months before release. [S3]
15. PRAHAAR is a policy document, not legislation — it does not require parliamentary approval. [S2]

8. Mains Relevance

GS Papers: Primarily GS-III (Internal Security); secondary relevance to GS-II (Governance, Government Policy) and GS-IV (Ethics — human rights, accountability).

Syllabus Headings: - GS-III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism; Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security; Basics of cyber security; Security challenges and their management in border areas. - GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors.

Plausible Mains Question Stems: 1. "PRAHAAR, India's first National Counter-Terrorism Policy, signals a shift from reactive to proactive security governance. Critically analyse its key pillars and the institutional architecture required for effective implementation." (GS-III, 15 marks) 2. "How does PRAHAAR address the convergence of conventional terrorism and cyber threats? What legal and technological frameworks are needed to operationalise the policy?" (GS-III, 10 marks) 3. "India's counter-terrorism efforts have historically suffered from centre-state coordination gaps. Does PRAHAAR adequately address these federal challenges?" (GS-II/GS-III, 15 marks)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

1. PRAHAAR is not a law — it is a policy/strategy document and does not require parliamentary enactment. Aspirants often confuse it with legislation like UAPA or POTA.
2. Ministry confusion — PRAHAAR is released by MHA, not the Ministry of Defence or MEA, though it has security and foreign-policy dimensions.
3. Acronym trap — PRAHAAR stands for seven pillars (not six or eight); the "A" appears three times (Aggregation, Addressing, Alliances) — a common MCQ trick.
4. Date confusion — Policy was finalised by December 2025 but released publicly on 23 February 2026; these are two different events.
5. Scope confusion with POTA/TADA — PRAHAAR is not a revival of banned laws; it operates within the existing legal framework (UAPA, BNS). TADA was repealed in 1995, POTA in 2004 — confusing their timelines is a recurring error.

11. Sources

• [S1] MHA unveils 'PRAHAAR', India's first national counter-terror policy — https://ddnews.gov.in/en/mha-unveils-prahaar-indias-first-national-counter-terror-policy/ — (Tier: 4 / DD News, government broadcaster)
• [S2] National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy: PRAHAAR — https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-counterterrorism-policy-and-strategy-prahaar — (Tier: 4 / reference aggregator; facts cross-checked against MHA PDF)
• [S3] The Hindu article (article content provided): "Centre unveils policy to tackle terror threats" — Vijaita Singh, New Delhi, 24 February 2026 — https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2026-02-24/th_international/articleGD6FKM5PK-13632098.ece — (Tier: 4)
• [S4] PRAHAAR official PDF — https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/PRAHAAREng_23022026.pdf — (Tier: 1 / mha.gov.in)
• [S5] Newsonair (AIR) — Govt launches PRAHAAR to tackle evolving terror threats — https://www.newsonair.gov.in/govt-launches-new-national-counter-terrorism-policy-strategy-prahar-to-tackle-evolving-terror-threats-with-proactive-approach — (Tier: 1 / government broadcaster)