News Delhi, Dec. 26 -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday underscored the need for a uniform Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) structure across the country, directing all state police forces to implement it at the earliest to strengthen India's counter-terrorism preparedness.

Inaugurating the two-day Anti-Terrorism Conference-2025 in New Delhi, organised by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Shah said the ATS plays an extremely critical role in preventing and responding to terror threats.

He noted that the NIA has worked extensively to develop a common ATS framework and has already shared it with state police forces. A uniform structure, he said, would ensure standardised preparedness and response mechanisms at every level across th...