Two major terrorist groups, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), are operating in Afghanistan with a clear goal: to create chaos and attack India. Both groups were formed in Afghanistan, with AQIS appearing in 2014 and ISKP a year later. Experts believed they mainly wanted to target Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
But new intelligence suggests these groups plan to use countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to carry out attacks on India. Interestingly, though these groups don’t get along well and often compete for influence, recent reports say they have now decided to work alongside each other — cooperating rather than clashing.
Both groups share a common goal: destroying India. But they are dividing the country between them. ISKP has decided to focus on South India, while AQIS plans to operate more in North and Northeast India. AQIS has strong support in Bangladesh, which helps it target northeastern states of India, while ISKP aims for the southern region.
This coordination reportedly came after discussions led by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI. AQIS supports the Taliban, but ISKP does not. Recently, however, the ISI reached out to ISKP to help counter the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), which has ties with the Afghan Taliban. The ISI is carefully managing these alliances because both groups want to see India destabilized.
Even though these groups don’t get along well, intelligence agencies warn they could come together since they share the same enemy — India. Investigations by Delhi Police’s Special Cell in 2014 revealed AQIS has big plans for India. They are recruiting Indians and trying to smuggle weapons into the country to carry out terror attacks.
In South India, ISKP is believed to have an easier task. It has previously worked with banned organizations like the PFI (Popular Front of India), which had a strong network there. After the PFI was banned, ISKP is trying to step in and fill that gap. Reports say the PFI was responsible for recruiting and radicalizing Indian youth, sending some, including 21 people from Kerala, to Afghanistan to join ISIS.
Meanwhile, AQIS is slower but more active in North and Northeast India. It has been working to recruit from these regions, producing a magazine called Nawa-i-Ghazwa Hind — which promotes India-specific content and shows AQIS’s focus.
The threat from AQIS also comes from Bangladesh, where political chaos after Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted. Terror groups in Bangladesh are aiding AQIS in recruitment, with trainees being prepared to carry out attacks in India.
Pakistan’s ISI is trying to keep chaos contained in India. While it allows these groups to operate in some areas, it keeps them out of Jammu and Kashmir. The military and spy agencies don’t want these groups to set up bases in the Kashmir Valley, as it could upset powerful terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which are also backed by Pakistan.
In short, Indian security agencies are on high alert. They warn that these terror groups are working quietly behind the scenes, trying to expand their networks and carry out attacks in India. It’s crucial for India to stay vigilant and prepare against these evolving threats.
