New Delhi — Indian intelligence agencies have raised serious concerns over an evolving strategy by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is increasingly leveraging both Khalistani networks and extremist outfits like the Islamic State to target Indian interests overseas.
According to officials, individuals of Pakistani origin settled in countries such as the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe are being radicalised and recruited by ISIS with the intent of carrying out attacks against Indian assets abroad. These targets include Hindu temples, Indian diplomatic missions, and locations associated with the Jewish-Indian community.
Intelligence inputs suggest that this strategy mirrors the ISI’s long-standing approach of using Khalistani elements to disrupt Indian interests internationally. Now, the agency appears to be expanding its playbook by combining separatist networks with global jihadist groups to widen its operational reach.
Security officials warn that the ISI is increasingly focusing on “lone wolf” operatives—individuals who self-radicalise and act independently. This reduces the need for direct coordination, making such plots harder to detect and prevent. The effort also includes pushing propaganda aimed at encouraging youth to self-recruit and form localised terror modules.
One such example cited by agencies is the Faridabad module, which reflected attempts to create homegrown networks. However, the strategy is no longer limited to India’s borders and is now being actively extended overseas.
A recent case highlighting this shift involves a Pakistani-origin individual, Muhammad Shahzzeb Khan, who was arrested near the US-Canada border in September 2024. He later pleaded guilty in a US federal court to plotting an हमला on a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, reportedly timed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. He now faces the possibility of life imprisonment.
Officials believe such incidents indicate that the ISI has activated a broader international plan aimed at creating fear among the Indian diaspora while also damaging India’s global interests. Countries like the US, UK, and Canada have already witnessed activities linked to Khalistani groups, and similar patterns could emerge through ISIS-inspired actors.
The intelligence community has advised Indian diplomatic missions worldwide to remain on high alert. Experts note that beyond physical damage, such attacks are designed to send a psychological message—that Indian citizens and institutions are vulnerable even outside the country.
This intensified strategy is also being viewed in the backdrop of India’s recent military action, Operation Sindoor, which reportedly led to the destruction of terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Analysts suggest that the ISI may be attempting to retaliate and restore its standing through asymmetric and covert means.
Overall, officials describe the convergence of separatist and global terror elements as a significant escalation, with the potential to expand the threat landscape well beyond India’s borders.
With inputs from IANS