NEW DELHI, FEB 24 : In a major move to fortify the nation’s security, the government launched “Prahaar” on Monday, India’s first comprehensive counter-terrorism policy. This multi-layered strategy screams “zero tolerance,” leaning heavily on sharp intelligence to prevent and dismantle extremist plots before they can strike. The goal? Cut off terrorists, their money men, and enablers from the cash, weapons, and hideouts they crave.
Unveiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Prahaar rests on seven sturdy pillars: prevention, rapid responses, pooling national strengths, upholding human rights and the rule of law, tackling the root causes like radicalization, syncing with global anti-terror efforts, and building societal resilience through everyone’s involvement. It’s a whole-of-society playbook designed to outsmart threats from home or abroad.
The policy doesn’t shy away from harsh realities. “India’s neighborhood has seen bouts of instability, creating lawless pockets,” it notes pointedly, hinting at regional trouble spots without dropping names like Pakistan. Yet, it stresses India’s firm line: terrorism isn’t tied to any religion, ethnicity, or nation. “We condemn it outright, no matter who’s wielding it or why,” the document declares. New Delhi has always backed terror victims and insists violence has zero excuse—fueling this no-nonsense “zero tolerance” mindset.
For decades, India has battled cross-border sponsored terror, with jihadi groups and their networks plotting attacks right here. Global heavyweights like Al-Qaeda and ISIS have targeted us too, stirring trouble via sleeper cells. Lately, handlers abroad are getting tech-savvy, deploying drones for strikes in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. Terror outfits are cozying up to organized crime for smuggling, recruitment, and logistics, while social media and encrypted apps spread propaganda, fund ops, and direct hits.
Tech’s double edge is a big worry. Encryption, the dark web, crypto wallets—they give terrorists a shadowy shield, hiding their moves and money trails. Sneaky threats like CBRNED materials (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive, digital), weaponized drones, and cyberattacks from hackers or hostile states keep counter-terror teams on high alert.
India’s riposte is proactive and intel-driven, covering air, land, and sea. Prevention tops the list: gather intel, share it fast via the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) and Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) in the Intelligence Bureau, then strike terror financing under tough Indian laws. Central agencies team up seamlessly with state police for real-time intel swaps that stop plots cold.
Cyber fronts get hammered too—disrupting online recruitment, jihad glorification, and terror networks. Law enforcement routinely busts overground workers (OGWs) who funnel logistics and cash to militants. A rising arms-terror nexus? Coordinated raids by intel and state forces are nipping it. And those hawala routes and fake charities funding hate? Legal hammers are dropping.
When attacks hit, it’s all hands on deck—central, state, and district levels follow Home Ministry SOPs for intel analysis, response, and follow-through via MAC. Agencies are beefing up too, plugging gaps in resources and training.
Human rights? Baked in. India’s anti-terror laws balance security with justice, offering layered appeals from local courts to the Supreme Court. To starve radicalization, government schemes tackle poverty and joblessness that bad actors exploit.
Globally, India’s forging ties—bilateral pacts, UN designations, extraditions—that have nabbed fugitives and crippled terror cells abroad. Recovery means more than raids: doctors, psychologists, NGOs, and community leaders help reintegrate affected folks.
Looking ahead, Prahaar calls for tweaking laws to match new threats, embedding legal pros in probes from FIR to trial, and boosting CT agency tech with private sector muscle. As foreign terror groups piggyback on local outfits, blending national grit with international teamwork is key to smashing transnational plots. Investments in AI, drones countermeasures, and ICT safeguards promise to stay steps ahead.
In essence, Prahaar isn’t just policy—it’s a promise to make India untouchable.
