The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is a ministry of the Government of India, serving as the interior ministry primarily responsible for the maintenance of internal security and domestic policy. The MHA was formed on August 15, 1947, when the pre-independence Home Department was reorganized, and its first Home Minister was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It was created to manage crucial post-Partition responsibilities, including the integration of 562 princely states, border management, and the rehabilitation of refugees.
The MHA's mechanism involves discharging multifarious responsibilities, even though "public order" and "police" are subjects under the State List (Entry 1 and 2 of List II in the Seventh Schedule). The Union is enjoined by Article 355 of the Constitution to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance. The MHA oversees the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), such as the CRPF and BSF, and is the Cadre Controlling Authority for the Indian Police Service (IPS). Key functions include border management, administration of Union Territories, disaster management, and implementation of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The MHA connects to several related institutions, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Recently, the MHA has initiated significant legislative reforms, replacing colonial-era criminal laws with the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, all of which came into force on July 1, 2024. Furthermore, the MHA strengthened terror jurisprudence by amending the NIA Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The ministry also unveiled a new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy called 'Prahaar' in 2026, shifting towards intelligence-led proactive counter-terror measures.