International Media Reports India’s Global Terrorism

(Written by: Abdul Basit Alvi)

India and Pakistan share a long and complex relationship, rooted in historical grievances, territorial disputes, and entrenched political rivalries. The two nuclear-armed nations have fought multiple wars and been involved in numerous skirmishes, particularly over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has long accused India of supporting insurgent groups and fostering instability within its borders, with several pieces of evidence backing these claims. India has been implicated in supporting insurgent groups, militant organizations, and separatist movements aimed at destabilizing Pakistan, especially in regions such as Balochistan and Sindh. These accusations often center on India’s alleged backing of nationalist movements within Pakistan, including intelligence operations and support for separatist activities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Balochistan, a resource-rich province in Pakistan, has experienced decades of ethnic and political unrest, and Baloch separatist groups have engaged in terrorism with alleged support from India to weaken Pakistan’s control over the region. In 2016, Pakistan’s Prime Minister at the time, Nawaz Sharif, publicly accused India of supporting separatist groups in Balochistan. Pakistani officials alleged that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was involved in training, financing, and arming Baloch insurgents. According to these claims, India’s goal was to destabilize Pakistan by inflaming tensions in Balochistan and inciting an internal uprising. Another key area where India is accused of being involved in terrorism is the Jammu and Kashmir conflict, which has been a central point of Indo-Pakistani tensions since the partition of India in 1947. India is said to have used cross-border militancy as a strategy to weaken Pakistan’s control over Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the region of Kashmir administered by Pakistan. Indian-backed separatist groups and intelligence agencies like RAW have been implicated in inciting insurgencies and fueling violence within Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). In the broader context of South Asian geopolitical rivalry, India has historically used Afghanistan as a platform to destabilize Pakistan. Following the fall of the Taliban in 2001, India developed a close relationship with the previous Afghan government, providing financial aid, infrastructure support, and military training. Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concerns that India’s presence in Afghanistan is part of a wider strategy to encircle Pakistan and reduce its influence in the region. Specifically, Pakistan has pointed to India’s alleged support for militant groups operating in Balochistan, claiming that India has used Afghanistan as a base to launch operations aimed at creating instability in the province. Pakistani agencies have asserted that Indian intelligence operatives have provided logistical and material support to separatist movements in Balochistan.

One of the most significant recent events that heightened tensions between India and Pakistan was the 2016 arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan. Jadhav was accused of working as a spy for RAW and plotting acts of terrorism and subversion in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan. Pakistan released a video in which Jadhav allegedly confessed to his involvement in supporting separatist movements. The Jadhav case became a symbol of India’s covert interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, further intensifying the diplomatic rift between the two nations.

The Johar Town bomb blast, which occurred in Lahore on June 23, 2021, was another high-profile incident that raised questions about the perpetrators and their motivations. The bombing caused significant loss of life, with at least three people killed and over 20 injured. The blast, caused by a bomb planted in a vehicle, resulted in extensive damage to nearby buildings, including residential homes and businesses. Pakistani authorities swiftly launched an investigation, initially focusing on various terrorist groups operating in the region. However, the sophisticated nature of the attack—along with the careful planning involved—suggested that the perpetrators had considerable resources and likely received external support. In the aftermath of the blast, numerous Pakistani officials, security agencies, and analysts pointed to India’s involvement, alleging that Indian intelligence, through RAW, played a role in orchestrating or supporting the attack. These claims are part of a long-standing fact that India has been involved in destabilizing Pakistan, particularly in regions like Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Analysts in Pakistan have suggested that India may have been attempting to exacerbate internal instability and sectarian violence within Pakistan, particularly at a time when the country was already facing significant political tensions and a fragile security environment.

India’s involvement in international terrorism has also been reported by global media outlets. Recently, an American newspaper provided a damning account of the terrorism allegedly perpetrated under the Indian government’s auspices. The Washington Post published an exposé highlighting India’s complicity in terrorism and severe human rights violations. According to the report, India is implicated in carrying out targeted killings through terrorist operations in Pakistan. The article detailed how the Indian intelligence agency RAW was allegedly responsible for the targeted killing of six individuals in Lahore, Pakistan, in April 2024, one of whom was identified as Aamir Sarfraz. These individuals were specifically targeted. The newspaper reported that India has also been involved in extrajudicial killings in the United States, Canada, and other Western nations. According to the article, India’s intelligence agency, RAW, was responsible for the assassinations of Sikh leaders in both Canada and the U.S., with RAW officer Kavish Yadav allegedly directing the deadly attack on a Sikh separatist leader in New York. The Washington Post also cited Canadian officials who have exposed the involvement of Indian diplomats and RAW in terrorist activities.

Moreover, a recent investigative report by the leading British media outlet The Guardian has revealed that the Indian government has implemented a broader strategy to eliminate its opponents residing abroad. This strategy, according to the report, has led to the targeted killings of several Pakistani citizens. The report claims that Indian agencies were involved in the deaths of 20 people in Pakistan since 2020, with these individuals being killed by unknown gunmen. The Guardian traced these killings to India’s national security policies, which, it says, became more aggressive following the Pulwama attack in 2019. The report points to clear evidence of the direct involvement of India’s intelligence agency, RAW, in these operations. Since 2019, according to the article, RAW has been responsible for 20 such killings in Pakistan. The British outlet based its report on evidence provided by Pakistan and interviews with intelligence officials from both countries.

The historical record, as well as recent reports from renowned and neutral global media outlets, paints a troubling picture of India’s role in international terrorism. The international community should take note of these facts and press India to cease its involvement in terrorism and targeted killings in Pakistan and other nations.