On 23 February 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled India’s new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy, titled PRAHAAR. The policy provides a comprehensive and proactive framework to prevent, deter and respond to evolving terrorist threats, while firmly upholding human rights and the rule of law.
PRAHAAR is an acronym that represents a multi-dimensional approach:
- P – Prevention of terror attacks to protect Indian citizens and interests
- R – Swift and proportionate Responses to threats
- 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 to counter terrorism
- R – Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach
The Ministry reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and stressed that there can be no justification for violence under any circumstances. The strategy aims to criminalise all terrorist acts and deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to funds, weapons and safe havens.
India will continue to work with the international community to counter terrorism, including addressing the misuse of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for terror activities. The policy also highlights investments in advanced technology and private sector partnerships to tackle future threats. Importantly, PRAHAAR rejects any attempt to link terrorism with religion, ethnicity, nationality or civilisation, while emphasising support for victims of terrorism.
