Prahaar Missile System: Range, Features and Strategic Importance for India

Context

• For decades, India’s counter-terror architecture was dispersed across laws, state-level arrangements, and internal SOPs. PRAHAAR marks a shift from reactive lawmaking to a systems-based national strategy. This codification signals doctrinal maturity and a move toward integrated national security planning.

What Is Special About PRAHAAR?

• Intelligence-Led Prevention: Strengthening MAC and the Joint Task Force on Intelligence improves real-time inter-agency coordination. The emphasis shifts from post-attack response to pre-emptive disruption of sleeper cells, propaganda networks, arms flows, and terror financing.
• Recognition of Hybrid Threats: The doctrine explicitly acknowledges drones, encrypted apps, dark web financing, crypto-transactions, cyber attacks, and CBRNED risks. This reflects awareness that terrorism now blends kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
• Legal Consolidation: Anchored in UAPA, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and the new criminal codes, PRAHAAR operates within a robust prosecutorial framework. NIA’s high conviction rate (around 90%+) strengthens deterrence credibility.
• Human Rights as a Named Pillar: Unlike earlier frameworks, PRAHAAR explicitly embeds rule of law and adherence to international covenants such as the ICCPR. It rejects associating terrorism with any religion or community — a diplomatically significant stance.
• Whole-of-Society Approach: By integrating de-radicalisation, youth empowerment, NGOs, religious leaders, and socio-economic schemes, PRAHAAR moves beyond purely kinetic counter-insurgency responses.
• International Alignment: Through MLATs, extradition treaties, UN engagement, and intelligence partnerships, India situates counter-terror within a diplomatic and multilateral framework.

The novelty lies less in new powers and more in public articulation and doctrinal integration.

Is PRAHAAR Suitable for Current Security Challenges?

Strengths

• Hybrid Threat Awareness: Recognises digital and transnational dimensions of terrorism.
• Preventive Orientation: Emphasises intelligence-led disruption.
• Institutional Clarity: Defines roles for police, NSG, NIA, and CAPFs.
• Socio-Psychological Focus: Addresses radicalisation drivers.
• Diplomatic Leverage: Strengthens India’s global anti-terror positioning.

In this respect, PRAHAAR aligns with modern strategies like the US National Strategy for Counterterrorism and the UK’s CONTEST doctrine.

Limitations

However, suitability depends on operational detail and oversight:

• The document remains broad (8 pages) compared to detailed Western strategies.
• It lacks explicit metrics, implementation timelines, and agency-specific tasking.
• Oversight mechanisms (e.g., parliamentary intelligence review) remain limited.
• Strategic deterrence against state-sponsored terrorism is not clearly articulated.

Thus, while conceptually aligned with modern threats, execution will determine effectiveness.

Key Issues in PRAHAAR

• Narco-Terror Linkages: Although terror financing is acknowledged, there is no specialised integrated mechanism linking anti-narcotics enforcement with counter-terror strategy, particularly regarding the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle routes.
• Crypto and Hawala Financing: The doctrine references digital finance threats but lacks operational clarity on blockchain analytics, crypto-exchange coordination, and hawala disruption.
• Online Radicalisation & Algorithmic Amplification: While social media misuse is recognised, PRAHAAR does not clearly address algorithm-driven extremism, encrypted messaging, gaming platforms, or AI-based monitoring frameworks.
• Federal Balance Concerns: Expanded central agency roles may raise questions under the State List (public order and police). Structured Union–State consultation mechanisms are not elaborated.
• Oversight & Civil Liberties: Though human rights are affirmed, PRAHAAR does not mandate:
  • Independent review bodies
  • Parliamentary intelligence committees
  • Public reporting mechanisms
  • Sunset clauses

This may invite constitutional debate.

• Intent vs Strategy: Analysts note that PRAHAAR reads more as an articulation of intent than a granular operational blueprint.

Way Forward

• Develop Detailed Implementation Frameworks: Translate the seven pillars into state-level SOPs, measurable objectives, and agency-specific responsibilities.
• Strengthen Oversight Mechanisms: Consider parliamentary intelligence review committees, independent reviewers of terror laws, and transparent annual reporting.
• Integrate Financial Intelligence: Create specialised narco-terror and crypto-finance coordination cells linking NIA, FIU, ED, and anti-narcotics agencies.
• Expand Digital Domain Governance: Develop AI-enabled monitoring frameworks with legal safeguards. Engage technology platforms systematically to counter algorithmic radicalisation.
• Enhance Federal Cooperation: Institutionalise structured Union–State dialogue forums to preserve cooperative federalism.
• Clarify Strategic Deterrence Doctrine: Define thresholds and response frameworks for state-sponsored terrorism within international law parameters.

PRAHAAR represents a doctrinal milestone in India’s counter-terror trajectory. It consolidates intelligence coordination, legal robustness, hybrid-threat awareness, societal engagement, and diplomatic alignment into a unified framework.

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