PRAHAAR: India’s First Anti-Terror Policy Launch

CENTRE UNVEILS PRAHAAR: INDIA’S FIRST NATIONAL ANTI-TERROR POLICY

Why in the News?

  • Policy Release: Union Home Ministry released PRAHAAR, India’s first comprehensive National Counter Terrorism Policy and Strategy.
  • Threat Assessment: Policy highlights terror threats across water, land, air and cyber domains, including cross-border and digital vectors.

PRAHAAR: India's First Anti-Terror Policy Launch

KEY FEATURES OF PRAHAAR ANTI-TERROR POLICY

  • Multi-Domain Threats: Policy recognises terrorism threats across maritime, terrestrial, aerial and cyber frontiers, including CBRNED risks.
  • Critical Infrastructure Protection: Emphasis on safeguarding power, railways, aviation, ports, defence, space and atomic sectors.
  • Cross-Border Sponsorship: Identifies continued challenges from sponsored terrorism and global jihadist networks.
  • Technology Misuse: Flags misuse of drones, encryption, dark web, crypto wallets and robotics by terror networks.
  • Criminalisation Focus: Aims to criminalise all terror acts and deny terrorists access to funding, weapons and safe havens.

INSTITUTIONAL AND STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

  • Uniform Structure: Proposal to establish a standardised anti-terror structure across States for coordinated response.
  • Legal Integration: Advocates association of legal experts at every investigative stage to strengthen prosecution outcomes.
  • International Cooperation: Emphasises necessity of regional and global collaboration to counter transnational terrorism.
  • Counter-Radicalisation: Engages community leaders and NGOs to prevent youth radicalisation and extremist recruitment.
  • NIA Coordination: Strengthens coordination between National Investigation Agency and State anti-terror units.

NATIONAL SECURITY AND COUNTER-TERRORISM FRAMEWORK

●  Constitutional Basis: Public order is State subject, while national security and defence fall under Union List.

●  Legal Instruments: Key laws include Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and National Investigation Agency Act.

●  Federal Coordination: Counter-terrorism requires cooperative federalism and intelligence-sharing mechanisms.

●  Cyber Security Dimension: Growing terror reliance on digital platforms necessitates robust cyber surveillance and regulation.

●  UPSC Relevance: Topic aligns with GS Paper III, covering internal security, terrorism, and security challenges.