New Delhi: India’s new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy, titled ‘Prahaar’, has been unveiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has unveiled.
The policy outlines a comprehensive framework to address evolving terror threats through prevention, coordinated response, capacity building and adherence to the rule of law, as reported by News18.
India has remained at the forefront of the global fight against terrorism for decades, even as the nature of threats continues to evolve, the MHA has said in its official release.
“While the nature of threats continues to change and present new challenges, India has remained consistently opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” the ministry said.
Instability in India’s immediate neighbourhood has often created ungoverned spaces, it has been noted and it has been pointed out that “a few countries in the region have sometimes used terrorism as an instrument of State Policy.”
The government has, however, stressed that India does not associate terrorism with any religion or identity, stating, “India does not link terrorism to any specific religion, ethnicity, nationality or civilisation.
India has always denounced terrorism “unambiguously and unequivocally” and that its policy is guided by a principled approach of ‘zero tolerance’ against terrorism, the MHA has said.
The counter-terrorism strategy flows from India’s long-standing commitment to stand by victims of terrorism and its belief that “there can be no justification whatsoever for violence in the world”, it has been stated.
The strategy is predicated on key objectives, including prevention of terror attacks, swift and proportionate responses, aggregation of internal capacities through a whole-of-government approach, and ensuring human rights and rule-of-law-based processes.
The policy also focuses on attenuating conditions that enable terrorism, aligning international counter-terror efforts, and strengthening recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach.
India has long faced sponsored terrorism from across the border, with jihadi terror outfits and their frontal organisations continuing to plan and facilitate attacks, the MHA has said.
Gobal terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS have attempted to incite violence through sleeper cells, the document added.
The growing misuse of technology by terror groups has been highlighted in the release. It states that handlers frequently use “the latest technologies, including the use of drones, for facilitating terror-related activities and attacks in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.”
Terrorists increasingly rely on social media platforms and instant messaging applications for propaganda, recruitment and communication, it has been noted, while technologies such as encryption, the dark web and crypto wallets enable anonymous operations.
The release also raises concerns about attempts by terrorist organisations to access Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive and Digital (CBRNED) materials, alongside cyber-attacks carried out by criminal hackers and nation states.
While the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) and Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) within the Intelligence Bureau serve as nodal platforms for real-time intelligence sharing and coordinated action, law enforcement agencies continue efforts to counter misuse of the internet by disrupting online propaganda, recruitment networks and logistical support systems, including overground worker (OGW) modules.
The policy also lays special emphasis on disrupting terror funding networks through legal mechanisms.
Border guarding forces and immigration authorities have been equipped with advanced technologies to secure threats across land, air and water, while critical sectors such as power, aviation, ports, defence and atomic energy are being protected from state and non-state actors, the MHA has added.
In its release, the MHA has stated that local police remain the first responders during terror incidents, supported by specialised state and central forces.
The National Security Guard (NSG) functions as the nodal national counter-terror force, assisting states and conducting capacity-building initiatives.
Investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and state police agencies, coupled with high prosecution rates, are aimed at creating deterrence against future terror incidents.
Modernisation of training, acquisition of advanced technology and standardisation of procedures across agencies form a key component of capacity enhancement under the strategy.
The document also places strong emphasis on countering radicalisation. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies adopt graded responses to address violent extremism, while community leaders, NGOs and moderate preachers are engaged to spread awareness about the consequences of extremist violence, the MHA has said.
Efforts are also being undertaken to prevent radicalisation in prisons and to address socio-economic vulnerabilities through education, employment and welfare initiatives aimed at youth and women.
The policy highlights the transnational nature of terrorism and the ministry has said international partnerships remain critical through intelligence sharing, extradition arrangements and cooperation frameworks.
India will continue working with global partners to designate terrorists and build consensus on counter-terror measures, it has been stated.
