MHA unveils ‘PRAHAAR’, India’s First National Counter-terror Policy

Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/Internal Security

Context

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled India’s inaugural National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy, titled ‘PRAHAAR’.

About

• It is this principled approach which informs the Indian policy of ‘zero tolerance’ against terrorism. 
• The counter-terrorism strategy of India, ‘PRAHAAR’, flows from these ideals: 
  • Prevention of terror attacks to protect Indian citizens and interests; 
  • Responses, which are swift and proportionate to the threat posed; 
  • Aggregating internal capacities for achieving synergy in a whole-of-government approach; 
  • Human rights and ‘Rule of Law’ based processes for mitigation of threats; 
  • Attenuating the conditions enabling terrorism, including radicalization; 
  • Aligning and shaping the international efforts to counter terrorism; 
  • Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach. 

Need for such Policy

• Target of Terror Groups: India has been the target of global terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 
• Use of Technology: Handlers from across the border frequently use the latest technologies, including use of drones, for facilitating terror-related activities and attacks in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. 
• Use of Social Media: For propaganda, communication, funding and guiding terror attacks, these terror groups use social media platforms as well as ‘instant messaging applications’.
  • Technological advancements like encryption, dark web, crypto wallets etc. have allowed these groups to operate anonymously. 
• Threat to access CBRNED: Disrupting terrorist efforts to access and use CBRNED (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, Digital) material remains a challenge for Counter Terrorism (CT) agencies.

Major Highlights of the Policy

• Prevention: India follows a pro-active ‘Intelligence-Guided’ approach, in which primacy is accorded to intelligence gathering and its dissemination to executive agencies.
  • Operationalization of Multi Agency Centre (MAC) along with the Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) remain the nodal platform for efficient and real time sharing.
• Response: The local Police is the first responder to any attack, assisted by specialized State and Central anti-terror Forces.
  • The vulnerable states have created special CT Forces to respond to attacks. 
  • The National Security Guard (NSG) is the nodal national Counter-Terror Force under MHA, for assistance to State Forces in responding to major terror attacks. 
  • The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Police Agencies conduct CT investigations in India and high prosecution rates of these investigations ensure a deterrent to future terror incidents. 
• Aggregating Capacities: There is regular acquisition of latest tools, technology and weaponry, besides training for new skills and tactics for CT Agencies.
  • Efforts have been made to further modernize the training modules and infrastructure of the training institutes.
• Human Rights and Rule of Law Based Processes: India adheres to the ‘Rule of Law’, where laws are just, applied evenly and protect fundamental rights.
  • India is also a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, besides ratifying the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 
• Attenuating the conditions conducive to Terrorism: Terrorist groups are continuously making efforts to recruit Indian youth.
  • Once identified, these youths undergo a graded police response, aimed at comprehensively addressing the problem of radicalization and violent extremism. 
  • Legal action is initiated against the individual based on their level of radicalization.
• Aligning and Shaping the International Efforts: India has entered into various agreements like Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), Extradition Treaty/Extradition Arrangement (ET/EA), Joint Working Group (JWG) and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with foreign partners for information sharing and other legal cooperation. 
• Recovery and Resilience through a whole-of-society approach: Public-private partnership has been a key component helping in faster recovery and resilience in case of a terror attack.
  • The government engages a team of doctors, psychologists, lawyers and other members of civil society, including NGOs, religious and community leaders, to sensitize and reintegrate the affected community.

Way Forward

• The coordinated multi-agency actions have greatly contributed towards success in Indian counter terrorism efforts. 
  • However, there remains a scope for further cooperation and collaboration among various agencies for intelligence collection and investigation. 
• National actions, coupled with international and regional cooperation, are key elements in addressing trans-national terrorism challenges.
• ‘Prahaar’, aims to criminalize all terrorist acts and deny access to funds, weapons and safe havens to the terrorists, their financiers and supporters.

Source: TH