Inside PRAHAAR: India’s New Seven-Layer Strike
India has finally done something it should have done a long time ago. For the first time ever, our country has released an official counter-terrorism policy. It is an eight-page document prepared by India's Home Ministry, and it is called PRAHAAR — which in Hindi means "Strike." But this is not just a powerful name. It is also a smart acronym where every letter stands for a specific layer of action. Together, these seven layers form India's complete plan to fight terrorism — not just today, but for the decades to come.
So let us understand this in simple language. What is PRAHAAR, what does it say, and why does India need it?
What Is PRAHAAR?
PRAHAAR is India's first-ever official counter-terrorism policy. Think of it as a rulebook — a clear, written document that tells every agency, every police force, every NGO, and every state government exactly what their role is when it comes to terrorism. Before this, everyone had their own way of doing things. Now, India has one unified plan.
The document makes two things crystal clear right at the beginning. First, India has zero tolerance for terrorism — no exceptions, no excuses. Second, India does not link terrorism to any religion, nationality, or ethnicity. This is important. It means India separates the Pakistani state — which the document accuses of using terrorism as a tool — from ordinary Pakistani people. India is attacking a policy, not a people. That is a mature and responsible stand.
The Seven Layers
P stands for Prevention. This is about intelligence gathering. Different agencies must share information with each other without delay. Cyber operations are a big part of this because most terror groups today plan attacks over the internet. Catching them online before they act is the first line of defence.
R stands for Response. Local police are the first to reach any attack site. The NSG — National Security Guard — is India's elite counter-terror force, trained for tough operations like hostage rescue. Their role is now formally written into policy.
A stands for Aggregating Capacities. This means giving our security forces the best technology, resources, and training. It also means creating common protocols across all states so that the response to any attack is fast, coordinated, and effective.
H stands for Human Rights and Rule of Law. Even while fighting terrorism, India must follow due process. Remember Ajmal Kasab — the Pakistani terrorist caught during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks? India gave him a fair trial. That was not weakness. That was integrity. This policy wants to preserve that legacy.
A stands for Attenuating Conditions That Lead to Terrorism. This is about fighting radicalization from the roots. NGOs, religious leaders, and community preachers are called upon to identify and guide vulnerable youth. The policy also talks about education, housing, and jobs — because poverty and hopelessness are often what push young people towards dangerous paths.
A stands for Aligning with Global Efforts. India cannot fight terrorism alone. Intelligence sharing, extradition treaties, and working with the United Nations to designate foreign terrorists — all of this is part of the plan. Global problems need global solutions.
R stands for Recovery and Resilience. When a terror attack happens, it does not just kill — it traumatises. Survivors carry that pain for life. This layer focuses on healing — through doctors, psychologists, NGOs, and proper support systems. A society that recovers fast is a society that cannot be broken.
Why Did India Need This Policy?
There are three solid reasons. First, it is a statement of intent. India has suffered tremendously because of terrorism. Hundreds of lives have been lost. Every government has said "zero tolerance" — but now it is written, official, and institutionalised. Words have become policy.
Second, it gives clarity to everyone involved. Police, NSG, NGOs, state governments — everyone now knows their exact role. It is like a guidebook that removes confusion and creates coordination.
Third, and most importantly, it takes a whole-of-society approach. Most of the time, the conversation around terrorism is limited to revenge and retaliation. But this policy goes much further — it asks how we can prevent attacks, how we can remove the root causes, and how we can help those who survive. That is the kind of long-term thinking India has needed for a long time.
As the document itself suggests — PRAHAAR is not just a strike at the branches. It is a strike at the very roots of terrorism. And that makes all the difference.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the publication, its editors, or its management. The publication is not responsible for the accuracy of any information, statements, or opinions presented in this piece.
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Stark reality of 'Viksit Bharat': Rahul slams govt over Noida workers' protest
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New Delhi (PTI): A day after the workers' protest turned violent in Noida, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said what unfolded on the streets was the "final cry" of this nation's workers and said the burden of US tariff wars, global inflation and fractured supply chains has not fallen upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "industrialist friends" but squarely upon the daily-wage labourer.
The Leader of Opposition said he stands with every worker who is the backbone of this country, and whom the Modi government has "come to view as a burden".
"What unfolded on the streets of Noida yesterday was the final cry of this nation's workers - a voice that went unheard at every turn, a voice weary from ceaseless pleading," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
A labourer working in Noida earns a monthly wage of Rs 12,000, yet faces a monthly rent burden of Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000, the former Congress chief said.
By the time they receive a meager annual increment of Rs 300, their landlord has already hiked the rent by Rs 500, he pointed out.
"Before their wages can catch up, this unbridled inflation strangles life, plunging them into the depths of debt- this is the stark reality of 'Viksit Bharat'," Gandhi said.
"As one female worker remarked, 'Gas prices keep rising, but our wages do not'. In the midst of this gas crisis, these individuals have likely had to purchase a single cylinder for as much as Rs 5,000 just to keep the stoves in their homes burning," Gandhi said.
This is not merely an issue confined to Noida, nor is it an issue unique to India alone, fuel prices are skyrocketing across the globe and supply chains have been disrupted due to the conflict in West Asia, he said.
"However, the burden of America's tariff wars, global inflation, and fractured supply chains has not fallen upon Modi Ji's 'industrialist friends'. The heaviest blow has landed squarely upon the daily-wage labourer - the one who must earn each day just to eat that same day," Gandhi said.
"The labourer who played no part in any war, who drafted no policies, who simply did his work. Silently. Without complaint. And what does he receive in return when he demands his rightful dues? Coercion and oppression," the Congress leader said.
Another critical issue is that the Modi government, in a hasty and unilateral move, implemented four new Labour Codes effective November 2025, thereby extending the standard workday to 12 hours, he said.
"Is the demand of a labourer, who stands and works for 12 hours every single day, yet still has to borrow money to pay his children's school fees, truly unreasonable? And is the one who systematically denies him his rights each day truly delivering 'development'?" Gandhi said.
Noting that labourers of Noida are demanding a wage of Rs 20,000, Gandhi said this is not greed, it is his right, the sole foundation of his life.
"I stand with every worker who is the backbone of this country, and whom this government has come to view as a burden," Gandhi said.
Vehicles, including police SUVs, were torched, public property vandalised, and stone-pelting reported from industrial hubs in Noida on Monday as protests by factory workers demanding a wage hike turned violent, paralysing traffic.
The Uttar Pradesh Police used mild force to disperse the agitators and later registered FIRs against two X handles, charging them with spreading rumours linked to the unrest. The state government also formed a special panel to address the crisis.
Violence was first reported in the afternoon, with sporadic stone-pelting and vandalism continuing till 5 pm. No major incidents of arson or violence were reported thereafter, officials said.
The unrest, which began in the morning, left thousands of commuters stranded on key routes leading to Delhi during peak hours. Long queues of vehicles stretching several kilometres were reported at the Delhi-Noida border, with major congestion at Sector 62, National Highway-24, Sector 63 and the Chilla border. Protesters blocked key routes, including stretches connecting Sector 62 to Sector 16 and NH-9.
Officials said a large number of workers from industrial units in Phase-2 and Sector 60 gathered to press for long-pending wage revision demands and raised slogans.
Similar protests were reported from Sector 62 and Sector 84, including at a Motherson company unit. NH-9, a key link between Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh, was also blocked.
The protests soon escalated, with some protesters torching vehicles, vandalising property and pelting stones.
Officials said workers had been mobilising support for their demands on a wage hike and better working conditions in factories over the last two days. However, it was not clear what sparked the violence during the protest.
Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh on Tuesday said that more than 300 individuals had been arrested and seven FIRs registered in connection with the workers' protest that turned violent in Noida.
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