PRAHAAR: India’s Integrated Counter-Terror Doctrine for the Hybrid Security Era

PRAHAAR marks India’s shift to an intelligence-led, whole-of-government counter-terror doctrine, integrating prevention, calibrated response, legal safeguards, and societal resilience to tackle hybrid threats across land, sea, air, and digital domains.

India’s National Counter-Terror Strategy — PRAHAAR

Syllabus: UPSC GS III – Internal Security

A Comprehensive Doctrinal & UPSC-Oriented Analysis (GS-3: Internal Security)

On 23 February 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs unveiled PRAHAAR (Policy for Response Against Hostile Activities and Radicalisation) — India’s first publicly articulated National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy. Its release, coming a day after the outline of the National Security Strategy (NSS), reflects a calibrated attempt to consolidate India’s internal security doctrine into a coherent, intelligence-led, whole-of-government framework.

For UPSC aspirants, PRAHAAR represents a landmark shift in India’s counter-terror architecture — from reactive, event-based policing to proactive disruption of systemic vulnerabilities, grounded in constitutional legitimacy and rule of law.

I. Strategic Genesis: Why PRAHAAR Now?

India’s counter-terror efforts historically evolved through:

Ad hoc coordination among intelligence and police agencies,
Post-incident strengthening of laws (e.g., UAPA amendments),
Institutional innovation after major attacks (e.g., NIA post-26/11).

However, the hybridisation of threats — drones, encrypted apps, narco-terror funding, dark web propaganda, AI-driven radicalisation — exposed structural gaps.

The doctrine’s finalisation followed security shocks such as the Pahalgam terror attack (April 2025), which underlined:

The speed of modern terror networks,
The need for anticipatory intelligence fusion,
Integration of kinetic and non-kinetic responses.

Thus, PRAHAAR formalises India’s:

Zero-Tolerance Approach, and
Whole-of-Government & Whole-of-Society model.

II. Deconstructing the PRAHAAR Framework: The Seven Pillars

The acronym “PRAHAAR” (meaning decisive strike) symbolises calibrated force within democratic constraints.

Pillar	Core Objective	Intended Outcome
Prevention	Intelligence-led pre-emptive disruption	Early neutralisation of modules
Response	Swift, proportionate counter-action	Rapid termination of active threats
Aggregation	Centre–State capacity integration	Institutional synergy
Human Rights	Rule-of-law based enforcement	Normative legitimacy
Attenuation	Address radicalisation drivers	Shrinking recruitment pools
Alignment	Shape global counter-terror norms	Deny safe havens
Recovery	Societal & psychological resilience	Faster return to normalcy

III. Hybrid Threat Matrix: Multi-Domain Recognition

PRAHAAR acknowledges that modern terrorism is no longer confined to physical insurgency.

1. Land Domain

Cross-border infiltration.
Over-Ground Worker (OGW) networks.
Radicalisation hubs.

2. Maritime Domain

Lessons from the 2008 Mumbai attacks:

Coastal surveillance gaps,
Maritime smuggling of arms,
Sea-borne infiltration.

3. Air & Drone Threats

Weaponised drones in border states.
Precision delivery of arms & narcotics.

4. Digital Domain

Encrypted messaging apps,
Online gaming chat recruitment,
Cryptocurrency funding,
AI-generated propaganda.

5. CBRNED Threat Profile

(Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, Digital)

Emerging vulnerabilities:

Marine toxin threats (e.g., Tetrodotoxin case study),
Cyber manipulation of critical infrastructure,
Public health emergencies as hybrid warfare tools.

👉 UPSC Link: “Challenges to Internal Security through Communication Networks” (GS-3).

IV. Institutional Architecture: Intelligence Primacy Model

PRAHAAR operationalises coordination through strengthened institutions:

1. Multi Agency Centre (MAC)

Real-time intelligence sharing.

2. Intelligence Bureau (IB)

Intelligence Bureau

Central intelligence coordination.

3. National Investigation Agency (NIA)

National Investigation Agency

Nodal investigative authority.
~92% conviction rate (legal deterrence).

4. National Security Guard (NSG)

National Security Guard

Specialized urban counter-terror response.

5. Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D)

Bureau of Police Research and Development

SOP standardisation & training modernisation.

Key Reform:

Creation of Joint Anti-Terror Task Forces (Centre–State) to reduce the “golden hour” vulnerability during attacks.

V. Legal Backbone: Deterrence through Rule of Law

PRAHAAR is anchored in a robust statutory framework:

Core Laws:

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)

Human Rights Integration:

Protection of Human Rights Act
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

This dual emphasis ensures:

Hard-hitting disruption,
Democratic legitimacy,
Avoidance of communal polarization.

VI. Attenuation & Whole-of-Society Strategy

PRAHAAR recognises that terrorism thrives in enabling ecosystems.

1. Community Engagement

Partnership with civil society & moderate religious leaders.
Counter-narrative campaigns.

2. Socio-Economic Shield

Skill development & education.
Preventing youth radicalisation.

3. Prison De-Radicalisation

Monitoring ideological indoctrination within correctional facilities.

👉 UPSC Angle: Link to “Role of civil society in national security”.

VII. International Dimension: Shaping Global Norms

Terror financing networks often intersect with:

Golden Crescent,
Golden Triangle,
Narco-terror pipelines.

India leverages:

Financial Action Task Force (FATF),
United Nations Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee,

to:

Isolate state sponsors,
Push for global designation of terror entities,
Strengthen extradition & MLAT frameworks.

India’s positioning: Responsible Global Counter-Terror Leader.

VIII. Strategic Strengths of PRAHAAR

Intelligence-led prevention over reactive response.
Integrated federal coordination.
Legal and normative legitimacy.
Hybrid threat adaptability.
Institutionalised resilience planning.

IX. Critical Gaps & Way Forward

1. Narco-Terror Synchronisation

Need deeper coordination between:

Anti-narcotics agencies,
Financial Intelligence Units.

2. Algorithmic & AI Warfare

Clear operationalisation of digital monitoring.
Balancing privacy vs surveillance.

3. External Deterrence Clarity

Thresholds for cross-border retaliation.
Integrating internal CT with external strategic doctrine.

4. Capacity & Resource Gaps

State police modernisation.
Cyber-forensics infrastructure.

X. Conclusion: Doctrinal Milestone in India’s Internal Security

PRAHAAR marks the transition from fragmented security responses to a consolidated counter-terror doctrine. It integrates:

Intelligence primacy,
Legal robustness,
Technological adaptation,
Societal resilience,
International diplomacy.

For UPSC, PRAHAAR exemplifies how:

Internal security intersects with governance,
Federalism influences operational response,
Rule of law balances coercive state power.

UPSC Mains Enrichment

Sample Question:

“Terrorism in the hybrid era requires a multi-domain doctrinal response rather than isolated kinetic action.” Examine in the light of India’s PRAHAAR strategy. (250 words)