Abstract
In February 2026, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs released its first comprehensive National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy— ‘PRAHAAR’, which advocates a “zero tolerance” approach to terrorism and internal security. The policy is based on seven core pillars that focusses on proactive, intelligence-led operations through the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) and the Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) to secure the nation against various security threats. The promulgation of this policy constitutes a significant milestone in the country’s evolving counterterrorism strategy. However, a critical examination of the framework reveals that the threat of narco-terrorism to India’s strategic security has been completely overlooked. With the growing nexus between narcotics trafficking networks and terrorist organisations operating against India, this omission is particularly glaring. This article critically examines the omission of narcoterrorism from the conceptual and operational framework of ‘PRAHAAR’ and assesses its implications for India’s national security strategy. The study concludes by recommending policy measures, including the doctrinal integration of narco-terrorism into the national security strategy.
Keywords: PRAHAAR, Counter-terror Policy, Narco-terrorism, Proxy War
