PRAHAAR: The Ministry of Home Affairs unveiled ‘PRAHAAR’ as India’s first comprehensive National Counter Terrorism Policy & Strategy on 23rd February 2026. It provides a national counter-terrorism framework for the prevention of, and response to, terrorist activities and radicalization through coordinated “whole of government” and “whole of society” approaches.
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PRAHAAR Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Policy Name | PRAHAAR — National Counter Terrorism Policy & Strategy |
| Launched By | Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |
| Date of Launch | 23rd February 2026 |
| Nature | India’s First Comprehensive National Counter-Terrorism Framework |
| Approach | Whole-of-Government & Whole-of-Society |
| Structure | Seven-Pillar Strategy |
| Announced In | Written reply in Rajya Sabha by MoS (Home Affairs) Shri Nityanand Rai |
The Seven Pillars of PRAHAAR
The ‘PRAHAAR’ strategy and policy is predicated on the following seven pillars:
- Prevention of terror attacks to protect Indian citizens and interests.
- Responses that are swift and proportionate to the threat posed.
- Aggregating internal capacities for achieving synergy in a whole-of-government approach.
- Human rights and ‘Rule of Law’ based processes for mitigation of threats.
- Attenuating the conditions conducive to terrorism, including radicalization.
- Aligning and shaping international efforts to counter terrorism.
- Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach.
From Reactive to Proactive: What PRAHAAR Changes
‘PRAHAAR’ addresses all counter-terrorism objectives through a comprehensive, intelligence-led proactive framework built upon this seven-pillar strategy. It shifts India from a reactive security stance to a proactive doctrine by:
- Formalizing real-time intelligence sharing through the Multi Agency Centre (MAC).
- Securing critical infrastructure.
- Deploying a swift, coordinated chain of command between State agencies/Police and Specialized Central Forces like the National Security Guard (NSG).
Simultaneously, the strategy integrates cutting-edge technology, strictly upholds the Rule of Law and human rights, and implements community-collaborative counter-radicalization modules to dismantle the terror ecosystem.
Countering Terror Financing
PRAHAAR also counters terror financing through the following measures:
- Tracing crypto wallets.
- Choking dark web crowdsourcing of funds.
- Seizing assets through Central Agencies.
The strategy aligns with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and uses international treaties to block cross-border, state-sponsored terror funding networks.
Phased Implementation
The Government of India is committed to the progressive and phased implementation of the ‘PRAHAAR’ strategy. This approach prioritizes immediate institutional and systems integration while thoroughly assessing performance outcomes through a framework of layered oversight mechanisms.
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Annual Anti-Terror Conference (ATC)
In addition to regular monitoring and assessments, one key oversight mechanism is the Annual Anti-Terror Conference (ATC), organized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The conference serves as an important platform to review and strengthen India’s counter-terrorism strategy by bringing together:
- Senior officials from law enforcement agencies
- Intelligence organizations
- Security forces
- Policymakers
- Legal experts
Purpose of the Anti-Terror Conference
The Anti-Terror Conference enables stakeholders to:
- Assess the effectiveness of existing counter-terrorism measures.
- Identify operational and administrative gaps and preparedness.
- Recommend policy, legal, and institutional reforms.
- Promote collaboration, capacity building, and a coordinated national response.
This continuous review process helps strengthen and evolve India’s counter-terrorism framework in response to an increasingly dynamic security environment.
Source-PIB
