Context:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled India’s first comprehensive counter-terrorism policy titled “Prahaar.” The policy emphasizes zero tolerance towards terrorism, intelligence-driven prevention, and coordinated national responses to evolving security threats.
Key Highlights:
Core Principles of Prahaar
• Built on zero tolerance to terrorism.
• Focus on intelligence-led prevention rather than only reactive operations.
• Promotes coordinated action across security agencies and institutions.
Seven Pillars of the Policy
• Prevention of terrorist activities.
• Response mechanisms for rapid action.
• Aggregation of national capacities in intelligence and security.
• Human rights and rule-of-law based counter-terror operations.
• Addressing root causes of terrorism and radicalization.
• Alignment with global counter-terror efforts.
• Recovery and resilience after terrorist incidents.
Disrupting Terror Ecosystems
• The policy aims to deny terrorists access to funds, weapons, and safe havens.
• Focus on dismantling terror networks operating across borders.
Emerging Security Challenges
• Terror groups increasingly use:
• Social media for recruitment and propaganda
• Encrypted communication platforms
• Dark web networks
• Crypto wallets for funding.
Technological Threats
• Use of drones and robotics by terrorists.
• Risk of misuse of CBRNED materials (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, Digital).
Cross-Border Terrorism
• Terror outfits such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates attempt to incite violence in India.
• Certain countries allegedly use terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Terrorism: Use of violence against civilians to achieve political or ideological objectives.
• Radicalization: Process through which individuals adopt extreme ideological beliefs.
• Sleeper Cells: Covert operatives who remain inactive until activated for operations.
• CBRNED Threats:
• Chemical
• Biological
• Radiological
• Nuclear
• Explosive
• Digital threats.
• Major Indian Agencies in Counter-terrorism:
• National Investigation Agency (NIA)
• Intelligence Bureau (IB)
• National Security Guard (NSG)
• Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) for intelligence sharing.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Need for a Comprehensive Counter-Terror Policy
• Rising technological sophistication of terror networks.
• Increasing cross-border terrorism and radicalization.
• Necessity of institutional coordination between agencies. - Changing Nature of Terror Threats
• Hybrid warfare and proxy terrorism by hostile states.
• Use of cyber platforms, drones, and digital financing mechanisms. - Importance of Intelligence-led Policing
• Preventive intelligence helps neutralize threats before attacks occur.
• Strengthens coordination among central and state security agencies. - Balancing Security and Civil Liberties
• Counter-terror measures must operate within constitutional and human rights frameworks.
• Avoiding profiling based on religion or ethnicity is critical. - Way Forward
• Strengthen international cooperation on terror financing and intelligence sharing.
• Invest in AI-based surveillance and cybersecurity capabilities.
• Improve border security and drone detection systems.
• Address socio-economic conditions that facilitate radicalization.
UPSC Relevance:
• GS Paper III: Internal security, terrorism, technological challenges in national security.
• GS Paper II: Governance and coordination between security agencies.
• Prelims: Counter-terror institutions, CBRN threats, radicalization concepts.