India's First Counter-Terrorism Policy Launched

Summary of India's First Counter-Terrorism Policy - 'Prahaar'

Government Overview:

• Policy Name: Prahaar
• Unveiled by: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India
• Objective: Comprehensive framework for counter-terrorism focusing on prevention, response, and resilience against terrorism.

Core Principles:

• Zero Tolerance: Commitment to be firm against all forms of terrorism, regardless of their origin or affiliation.
• Intelligence-Led Prevention: Emphasis on gathering and analyzing intelligence to preemptively deal with terror threats.

Key Pillars of the Policy:

1. Prevention of Terrorism
2. Responses to Terrorism
3. Aggregating Internal Capacities
4. Respect for Human Rights and Rule of Law
5. Countering Conditions That Enable Terrorism (including radicalization)
6. Alignment with Global Efforts
7. Recovery and Resilience via Civil Society Engagement

National Context:

• Terror Threat: Acknowledges the ongoing influence of Jihadi groups and the targeting of India by global terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda and ISIS, utilizing advanced technology for operations.
• Terrorism as a State Instrument: Reference to certain unidentified neighboring countries reportedly using terrorism as a tool in geopolitical strategies.

Technological Concerns:

• Increasing reliance on advanced technology by terrorists, including:
  • Use of Encryption and Dark Web: Facilitates anonymous operations.
  • Crypto Wallets: Challenges in tracking illicit funding sources.
  • CBRNED Threats: Addressing efforts to use or disrupt chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and digital materials.
  • Drones: Concerns over misuse by both state and non-state actors.

Response Mechanism:

• Cyber Disruption Strategies: Proactive measures to counter online terror propaganda, recruitment, and communication via social media and instant messaging.
• Engagement of multidisciplinary teams including doctors, psychologists, lawyers, and community leaders for community sensitization and rehabilitation.

Conclusion: The Prahaar policy reflects India's systematic approach to combating terrorism, integrating global cooperation while tackling local challenges, and emphasizes a holistic societal response to terrorism. By recognizing the complex interplay between technology and terrorism, the policy underscores the need for vigilant and innovative strategies to protect national security.