India unveils its first-ever counter-terrorism policy; proportionate reply to attacks part of 'Prahaar'

NEW DELHI: Government on Monday unveiled the country's first-ever anti-terror policy elevating its "pro-active and intelligence-guided" approach to the level of a doctrine, which focuses, apart from the persisting threat of "hostile neighbours" deploying terror, on the new challenges of terrorists using modern communication devices and criminal networks.'Prahaar', an acronym for India's comprehensive counter-terrorism policy and strategy, aims at criminalising all terrorist acts and starving terrorists, their financiers and supporters of funding, weapons, safe havens and cyber resources.The policy rests on seven key pillars, represented by each letter of the acronym. It focuses on 'prevention' of terror attacks; 'responses' that are swift and proportionate; 'aggregating' of internal capacities for a whole-of-govt approach; 'human rights' and rule of law-based processes for mitigation of threats; 'attenuating' the conditions enabling terrorism, including radicalisation; 'aligning' international efforts to counter-terrorism; and 'recovery' through a whole-of-society approach.

Stating that India has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, the policy refers to 'neighbours' which use terrorism as an instrument of the state, highlighting threats from jihadi outfits as well as global terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

Prahaar aims at graded police response to radicalisation

Describing the way forward, the policy hints at the scope for further collaboration among various agencies on intelligence collection and investigation.

While seeking amendments in the counter-terror legal framework "from time to time", it underlines the continual need for building capacity of state-level counter-terror mechanisms and unity in their structure, resources, training and investigation methods.Stating that violent extremists based on foreign soil are using the latest technologies, including drones, to unleash terror in Punjab and J&K, the policy flags the use of organised criminal networks for logistics and recruitment, for executing terror strikes in India.

Prahaar calls for global cooperation to tackle terror

Also, drawing attention to the use of social media and instant messaging apps for terror communication and propaganda, the policy concedes how encryption, dark web and crypto have allowed terror groups to operate with anonymity.With foreign-based terror groups relying on infrastructure, logistics and terrain knowledge of local outfits for trans-national terror attacks, Prahaar emphasises the need for international cooperation and collaboration, including to counter the misuse of information and communications technology (ICT) by terrorists, with investments in technology and partnerships with private enterprise.The counter-terror strategy aims at preventing attacks with a ‘pro-active and intelligence-guided’ approach with synergy among the central and state agencies. Similarly, it calls for pro-active disruption of cyber activities of terror groups and continuous disruption of overground worker networks by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).For timely counter-terror response, the strategy requires all stakeholders at central, state and district level to have a uniform anti-terror structure and standard procedures.

As regards “aggregating” capacities, LEAs and security agencies must be modernised with the latest tools, technology and weaponry. Prahaar also seeks to safeguard human rights with legal processes that allow multiple levels of redressal and appeal to terror accused.The policy aims at graded police response to radicalisation with legal action dependent on the level of radicalisation. At the same time, socio-economic conditions of vulnerable youths and groups must be addressed with education and constructive engagement, in addition to de-radicalisation programmes.The need to align and shape international efforts against terrorism with treaties and processes like extradition, deportation as per UN norms are also outlined.