The Union government is in the final stages of framing India’s first comprehensive anti-terror policy, which will act as a uniform template for all States to prevent, combat and respond to terror-related incidents, a senior government official has said.
The proposed policy aims to bring greater coordination, clarity of roles and faster response mechanisms among Central and State agencies in dealing with terrorism.
It is expected to address gaps in intelligence sharing, investigation, prosecution, and crisis management, while strengthening institutional preparedness against emerging terror threats.
According to officials, the policy will also focus on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for terror attacks, radicalisation, terror financing, use of technology by extremist groups, and coordination between police, intelligence agencies and specialised forces.
The move follows an announcement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in November last year.
Addressing a conference recently, Shah said that NIA is not just an investigating agency and under its aegis, anti-terrorist activities across the country should be compiled and promoted, and measures should be taken so that the investigating agency stands firmly in the court and the anti-terror mechanism is strengthened.
He also announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs will soon introduce a National Counter-Terrorism Policy & Strategy to fight terrorism, terrorists, and the entire ecosystem supporting them.
The National Security Guard (NSG), India’s elite counter-terrorism force, on Tuesday signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) with police forces from all States and Union Territories.
The agreement establishes a first-of-its-kind framework for counter-terror coordination, enabling seamless first-responder interoperability and institutionalised joint training programs.
“In an era where lone-wolf radicalisation, grey zone warfare, and asymmetric attacks dominate the threat matrix, rapid knowledge-to-kinetic transformation becomes essential. By anchoring capacity-building under Mission Karmayogi, India is fortifying a counter-terror force that is both agile and adaptable,” NSG said in a statement on Tuesday.
Why Was This Required?
India’s diverse political landscape has often resulted in different States having varied approaches to counter-terrorism. Governments led by different political parties sometimes followed divergent policies, influenced by regional considerations or political priorities.
For example, counter-terror laws and enforcement measures have historically varied across States. Maharashtra, for instance, had previously operated under TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act), which provided specific provisions for dealing with terrorism.
Other States had their own laws, such as MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) or POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act), each with different powers, procedures, and legal thresholds.
Even in Uttar Pradesh, when the Samajwadi Party (SP) was in power, the approach and implementation of counter-terror measures often differed from other States. These variations sometimes led to delays, confusion, and uneven enforcement, making it difficult to respond uniformly to terror threats across the country.
A uniform national policy is therefore seen as essential to ensure that all States operate within a common framework, while still retaining the flexibility to respond to local conditions.
This will allow for speedy, decisive, and effective action against terror threats without legal or procedural confusion.
The development comes ahead of the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) anti-terror conference, scheduled for December 26–27, where senior officials from Central and State agencies are expected to discuss evolving terror challenges and best practices.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for deliberations on the proposed policy framework and its practical implementation.
Once finalised, the National Anti-Terror Policy is expected to mark a significant shift towards a structured, national-level counter-terror strategy, ensuring uniformity in operations, enhanced coordination, and a stronger institutional capacity to tackle terrorism across India.
