- Why in news
- On 28 September 2026, Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a conference on 'PRAHAAR - CT Policy and Strategy' in New Delhi and launched a new Extradition Portal.
- What it is
- PRAHAAR is India's counter-terrorism policy framework built on seven pillars. It covers prevention, response, internal capacity, human rights, tackling conditions for terrorism, international alignment, and recovery and resilience. It seeks a whole-of-society approach, with action carried down to the police station level.
- Seven pillars
- PRAHAAR has seven pillars: Prevention, Response, Aggregating Internal Capacities, Human Rights, Attenuating Conditions for Terrorism, Aligning International Efforts, and Recovery & Resilience.
- Who attended
- The conference included the Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, heads of CAPFs/CPOs, DGsP of 15 States and ATS chiefs of all States/UTs.
- Extradition Portal
- A new Extradition Portal was launched to speed up efforts to bring fugitives back from abroad.
- Fugitives returned
- From 2019 to 2026, 288 fugitive criminals were brought back from 36 countries.
- Shahzad Bhatti network
- The network was declared a terrorist organisation under UAPA.
- Time horizon
- The Home Minister called for a strong PRAHAAR mechanism for the next 10 years, reaching down to the Thana level.
Don’t confuse with PRAHAAR vs NIA: PRAHAAR is a policy framework with seven pillars. The NIA is a statutory central agency that investigates scheduled offences under the NIA Act, 2008.
Don’t confuse with Extradition vs deportation: Extradition is the formal handover of a fugitive under a treaty or arrangement with another state. Deportation is the removal of a person by a state from its own territory.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- A common framework aligns central agencies, State police and ATS units, and pushes action to police stations.
- Includes a human rights pillar and a recovery and resilience pillar, so it goes beyond a purely security response.
Problems
- Policing is a State subject, so coordination between Centre and States can be uneven.
- Extradition depends on foreign courts and treaties, which can cause delays.
Way forward
- Set up dedicated State police teams to work with central agencies on fugitive cases.
- Analyse terror incidents continuously and update the strategy for the next decade.
Put in your answer
Fugitives brought back, 2019-2026: 288 fugitives were returned from 36 countries, an example of improved international cooperation.
UAPA designation: Declaring the Shahzad Bhatti network a terrorist organisation under UAPA shows the use of legal tools against organised cross-border networks.
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q9How terrorism manifests in India, and counter-measures adopted by the State
- 2019Mains GS3 · Q19Analyse amended UAPA and NIA Act changes; human rights opposition to UAPA
- 2021Mains GS3 · Q20Analyse terrorism's causes and linkages; suggest measures to eradicate it
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting policy topic with seven pillars; defence and security questions are rare in Prelims, and the release gives no new provisions for a Mains debate.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.