Published: 25 February 2026MHA / PIB / Business Standard / DD NewsGeneral
India Unveils PRAHAAR: First-Ever National Counter-Terrorism Policy with Seven-Pillar Framework
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India launched PRAHAAR, its first national counter-terrorism policy, on February 23, 2026, built on seven pillars encompassing prevention, response, intelligence aggregation, human rights, de-radicalisation, international alignment, and societal resilience — addressing modern hybrid terror threats including drones, dark web, and crypto financing.
On February 23, 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs released India's first-ever comprehensive National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy titled 'PRAHAAR'. The policy provides a doctrinal framework that consolidates India's counter-terrorism measures — previously evolved piecemeal through legislation and executive practice — into a single coherent doctrine.
The acronym PRAHAAR encapsulates its seven pillars: P – Prevention of terror attacks; R – Swift and proportionate Response; A – Aggregating internal capacities through a whole-of-government approach; H – Human rights and Rule of Law-based processes; A – Attenuating conditions enabling terrorism including radicalisation; A – Aligning international efforts; R – Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach.
The policy addresses modern hybrid threats including dark web financing, crypto-enabled transactions, narcotics-terror nexus, weaponised drones, cyber intrusion, and algorithm-driven radicalisation. It operationalises the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) and Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) for real-time intelligence sharing between central and state agencies. The policy also emphasises de-radicalisation and social prevention, marking a departure from purely kinetic counter-terror responses, and situates India's counter-terrorism within international frameworks including the United Nations, extradition treaties, and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs).
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The development titled "India unveils PRAHAAR, its first national counter-terrorism policy and strategy" primarily falls under which category?
Explanation · Correct answer CPRAHAAR is India's national counter-terrorism policy and strategy released by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Because it lays down a governance framework for prevention, response, coordination, rule of law, international cooperation and resilience against terrorism, it belongs primarily to Governance and Policy rather than economy, science or environment.
Frequently asked questions
What is PRAHAAR and when was it launched?
PRAHAAR is India's first-ever national counter-terrorism policy, launched on February 23, 2026. It provides a structured, whole-of-government framework to address modern terror threats.
What are the seven pillars of the PRAHAAR policy?
The seven pillars of PRAHAAR are: prevention, response, intelligence aggregation, human rights, de-radicalisation, international alignment, and societal resilience.
What modern hybrid threats does PRAHAAR address?
PRAHAAR addresses modern hybrid terror threats including drone-based attacks, dark web operations, cryptocurrency financing of terror, and cyber-enabled terrorism.
Which inter-agency coordination mechanisms are institutionalised under PRAHAAR?
PRAHAAR institutionalises inter-agency coordination through the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) and the Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) mechanism.
How does PRAHAAR align with India's international obligations?
PRAHAAR aligns India's counter-terrorism framework with its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1373, which sets global standards for preventing and suppressing terrorism.
