NEW DELHI: The Central government on Monday unveiled a new National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy titled “Prahaar”, setting out what it describes as a comprehensive, intelligence-driven, and zero-tolerance framework to combat terrorism in all its forms.
Issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the policy lays down India’s threat assessment, operational doctrine, legal architecture, and international engagement roadmap.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the document carries direct relevance. It explicitly flags cross-border terrorism, drone-based threats, and organised networks operating in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, and outlines measures that are likely to shape security operations in the Union Territory in the coming years.
The policy reiterates India’s stated position of opposing terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations” and says the country does not link terrorism to any specific religion, ethnicity, nationality, or civilisation. It underscores a “zero tolerance” approach and presents “Prahaar” as a consolidation of India’s long-standing counter-terror doctrine into a structured national strategy.
Seven Pillars of Prahaar
The strategy rests on seven core pillars: prevention of terror attacks; swift and proportionate response; aggregation of capacities across agencies; adherence to human rights and rule of law; addressing conditions conducive to terrorism, including radicalisation; aligning international efforts; and recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach.
Prevention is described as the primary objective. The approach is “intelligence-guided,” giving primacy to intelligence gathering and real-time dissemination to operational agencies. The Multi Agency Centre and the Joint Task Force on Intelligence under the Intelligence Bureau are identified as nodal platforms for sharing counter-terror inputs nationwide.
The policy emphasises synergy between central agencies and state police forces. It also speaks of strengthening border security on land, air, and water, and protecting critical infrastructure such as power, railways, aviation, ports, defence, space, and atomic energy from state and non-state actors.
The threat profile outlined in the document highlights “sponsored terrorism from across the border” and notes the continued planning and facilitation of attacks by jihadi outfits and their front organisations. It names global groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State as attempting to incite violence through sleeper cells.
Of particular concern is the use of drones in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir for facilitating terror-related activities. The document also flags the growing nexus between terrorist groups and organised criminal networks, and the misuse of social media, encrypted platforms, the dark web, and crypto wallets for propaganda, funding, and operational coordination.
It further warns of the risk of access to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, and Digital material, and highlights cyber-attacks and misuse of robotics and emerging technologies as future threats.
Response and Investigations
On response, the strategy identifies the local police as the first responder to any terror attack, supported by specialised state and central anti-terror forces. The National Security Guard remains the nodal national counter-terror force under the Home Ministry, tasked with assisting states in major incidents and building their capacities.
A Standard Operating Procedure issued by the ministry provides for apex-level coordination, including intelligence dissemination and follow-up action through the Multi-Agency Centre platform. Central Armed Police Forces will continue to be deployed in states for counter-terror and law and order duties.
Investigations are to be conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and state police units. The document asserts that high prosecution rates in terror cases serve as a deterrent.
Modernisation and Uniformity
“Prahaar” places strong emphasis on modernising security and law enforcement agencies. It calls for regular acquisition of advanced tools, technology, and weaponry, along with updated training modules and infrastructure.
The Bureau of Police Research and Development, in collaboration with state institutions and Central Armed Police Forces, is tasked with training personnel in best practices. The National Security Guard’s expertise in urban combat is to be shared with specialised state forces.
Importantly, the policy speaks of moving towards greater uniformity in anti-terror structures across states and Union Territories. Standardisation of processes and procedures is described as essential for ensuring coordinated and synergistic responses in a multi-agency environment.
Jammu and Kashmir in Focus
For Jammu and Kashmir, the strategy has layered implications. The document explicitly notes the use of drones by handlers across the border to facilitate terror-related activities in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. This is likely to translate into expanded surveillance, anti-drone systems, and tighter border management along the Line of Control and the International Border.
The emphasis on intelligence-led prevention may mean deeper integration of local police, central agencies, and military intelligence structures operating in the region. The Multi Agency Centre mechanism, already active in the Valley, is expected to play a more central role in real-time threat assessment and coordination.
The policy’s focus on disrupting “over-ground worker” modules, terror funding networks, and organised crime linkages also aligns with ongoing crackdowns in the Union Territory. Legal action under existing anti-terror laws, financial scrutiny, and asset freezes may intensify under the new framework.
At the same time, the document’s call for a graded police response to radicalisation, engagement with community and religious leaders, and socio-economic outreach could shape future counter-radicalisation efforts in the Valley. It links poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity to vulnerabilities that may be exploited by extremist elements, and refers to government schemes, scholarships, and employment initiatives as preventive tools.
The proposal for uniform anti-terror structures and capacity-building of state units may have administrative consequences for policing and security architecture in Jammu and Kashmir, which has long operated under a distinct security environment.
Human Rights and Rule of Law
A separate and detailed section of the policy deals with human rights and the rule of law. It states that Indian laws, including anti-terror legislation, give due importance to human rights and fundamental freedoms. India, it notes, adheres to the principle that laws must be just, applied evenly, and protect fundamental rights.
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, is identified as the principal anti-terror law, supplemented by recently enacted criminal codes and other statutes such as the Explosives Substances Act, Arms Act, and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The document underlines that multiple levels of legal redress are available to the accused, from district courts to the Supreme Court. It highlights the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, and India’s commitments under international human rights instruments. It also stresses that robust and independent courts ensure representation, affordable legal services, and opportunities to appeal.
Given long-standing debates in Jammu and Kashmir over preventive detention, special laws, and alleged rights violations, the policy’s emphasis on the rule of law and judicial safeguards is likely to be closely examined by political parties, civil society groups, and legal experts in the region.
International Cooperation and Future Challenges
Recognising the transnational nature of terrorism, “Prahaar” underscores cooperation through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, extradition arrangements, joint working groups, and memorandums of understanding with foreign partners. It also commits to pursuing the designation of wanted terrorists at the United Nations.
Looking ahead, the strategy calls for periodic amendments to the domestic legal regime to address emerging challenges, and for involving legal experts at every stage of investigation, from registration of cases to prosecution.
It also highlights the need to counter the misuse of information and communications technology for terrorist purposes and to invest in advanced technologies in partnership with private enterprise.
For Jammu and Kashmir, where counter-terror operations have defined public life for decades, “Prahaar” signals a continuation and consolidation of existing approaches, backed by formal doctrine and expanded technological focus. Whether it brings greater stability or intensifies the debate over security and civil liberties will depend on how its provisions are implemented on the ground.
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