New Delhi: The Union government has expanded its list of designated terrorists by notifying 23 Pakistan-based operatives allegedly associated with terror outfits operating against India. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that the individuals have been accused of facilitating infiltration, recruiting militants, coordinating cross-border attacks, arranging funding, and supplying weapons to terror networks active in Jammu and Kashmir.
The notification identifies the accused as members or associates of banned organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). According to the government, many of them have played key roles in sustaining terror infrastructure across the border and supporting attacks targeting security forces and civilians.
Operatives linked to recruitment, infiltration and drone networks
Officials said several of the designated individuals were allegedly involved in sending trained militants into Indian territory, operating launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and using drones to transport arms, explosives and ammunition across the International Border and the Line of Control.
The notification also claims that some of the accused managed online recruitment campaigns, radicalised youth through social media platforms, coordinated encrypted communication networks, and facilitated financial transactions to sustain terror activities.
Investigators believe these operatives functioned as handlers, logistics coordinators and trainers for militant groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Links to past terror attacks
The Centre has alleged that a number of the newly designated terrorists were connected to major terror incidents carried out in Jammu and Kashmir over the past several years.
Among them are individuals accused of involvement in the 2016 attack on an Army camp in Nagrota and the 2022 attack on security personnel at Sunjwan. Authorities also claim that some served as launch commanders responsible for planning infiltration attempts and directing terrorists before they entered Indian territory.
According to the government, these operatives remained active despite intensified counter-terror operations and continued to provide operational support from across the border.
Senior Lashkar figures included
The list also includes several alleged senior members of Lashkar-e-Taiba who, according to the notification, worked closely with the outfit’s top leadership. Officials claim these individuals were responsible for coordinating terror financing, expanding recruitment, supervising training camps and encouraging radicalisation through extremist networks.
The government has also named functionaries linked to Jamaat-ud-Dawa, describing them as influential figures involved in maintaining the organisational structure of banned terror outfits.
Government intensifies crackdown
The latest designations are part of the Centre’s broader strategy to identify and isolate individuals accused of supporting terrorism directed against India. Officials said the move would strengthen efforts to curb terror financing, freeze assets linked to designated individuals and enhance cooperation with international agencies monitoring cross-border terrorism.
Security agencies continue to investigate networks allegedly using drones, digital communication channels and overseas handlers to facilitate militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The government has maintained that dismantling these support structures remains a key priority in its counter-terror strategy.
