India launches first-ever national anti-terror strategy ‘PRAHAAR’

The Ministry of Home Affairs on 23 February 2026 released India’s first national counter-terrorism policy - “PRAHAAR” , marking a milestone in the country’s security framework. The word “PRAHAAR” , meaning “strike” or “attack” in Sanskrit and Hindi, symbolizes a proactive, decisive response against terrorism, aiming to prevent, disrupt, and neutralize threats before they occur.

PRAHAAR reflects key principles: P for Prevention , R for Response , A for Alertness , H for Human-rights compliance , A for Awareness , A for Action , and R for Resilience , capturing a holistic, forward-looking strategy .

The policy asserts zero tolerance for terrorism , emphasizing that violence is never justified and must not be linked to any religion, ethnicity, or nationality. Prahaar seeks to deny terrorists access to funds, safe havens, and weapons, while fostering coordinated action across central agencies, state police, and local responders.

It highlights India’s loss of citizens to terrorism , including attacks in which India was neither involved nor deserved targeting , and acknowledges cross-border terrorism from regions using terror as state policy, underscoring the need for intelligence-led prevention, rapid response, and international cooperation.

The seven-pillar strategy focuses on prevention through intelligence, swift response, coordination, rule-of-law adherence, countering radicalization, international collaboration, and community resilience. It also addresses emerging threats like cyber-attacks, drone misuse, encrypted communications, dark-web platforms, and terror-crime networks.

PRAHAAR calls for strengthened institutional capacities, modernization of intelligence tools, and community engagement and de-radicalization programs involving NGOs, religious leaders, and psychologists. Officials say the policy provides a consolidated national framework to safeguard citizens, uphold democratic values, and strengthen resilience against both traditional and evolving terrorist threats.