Latest news with #Pakistan-linked
United News of India
26 minutes ago
- United News of India
NIA raids in 8 states in Pak spy case
Chennai, May 31 (UNI) The National Investigation Agency(NIA) on Saturday launched raids in 15 locations spread over eight States in the country in connection with Pakistan-linked Espionage case. Several incriminating documents and electronic gadgets were seized during the raids. The raids were conducted at the premises of those having alleged links with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana, UP, Chhatisgah, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Assam, according to reports. UNI GV 2330
India Today
an hour ago
- Politics
- India Today
NIA conducts searches in multiple states in Pakistan-linked espionage case
The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted a massive search operation at 15 locations in eight states across the country in connection with a Pakistan-linked espionage were conducted at the premises of suspects linked to Pakistani intelligence operatives in Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam and West the searches, NIA teams seized several electronic gadgets and sensitive financial documents, along with other incriminating materials, during the searches. These are being extensively examined for clues to the espionage racket being run by Pakistan-based operatives as part of an anti-India terror As per NIA investigations, the suspects targeted in searches had connections with Pakistani operatives, and acted as financial conduits for carrying out espionage activities in anti-terror agency registered a case on May 20 following the arrest of an accused person who had been sharing sensitive information with Pakistani operatives since 2023. He had allegedly received funds through various conduits in India in exchange for leaking classified information related to national NIA is continuing with its investigation into the case, registered under sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 147 (waging or attempting to wage war against India) and 148 (conspiracy to commit offences) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), sections 3 and 5 (unauthorised communication of secret official information) of the Official Secrets Act 1923 and Section 18 (individuals involved in terrorist acts or activities related to them) of the UA(P) Act, the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, security agencies have intensified their anti-espionage operations, leading to the arrest of at least 12 individuals from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the past two weeks. Investigations suggest the existence of a Pakistan-linked spy network operating across northern those arrested are two women - Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana resident with 3.77 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 1.33 lakh followers on Instagram, and 31-year-old Guzala from Punjab. Both were allegedly in contact with Pakistani officer Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, who was posted at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi before being InMust Watch
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Massive search operation: NIA raids 15 sites across eight states in Pakistan-linked espionage case
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted a massive search operation at 15 locations in eight states across the country in a Pakistan-linked espionage case. Searches were conducted at the premises of suspects linked with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) in the states of Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam and West Bengal, the agency said in a statement late on teams have seized several electronic gadgets and sensitive financial documents, along with other incriminating materials, during the searches. These are being extensively examined for clues to the espionage racket being run by Pakistan-based operatives as part of an anti-India terror conspiracy As per NIA investigations, the suspects targeted in today's searches had connections with Pakistani operatives, and acted as financial conduits for carrying out espionage activities in India. NIA had registered the case on May 20, 2025 following the arrest of CRPF ASI Moti Ram who had been sharing sensitive information with PIOs since 2023 and had received funds through various conduits in India in lieu of leaking classified information related to national security
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Fragile ceasefire and rising hybrid threats
The recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, declared on May 10, 2025, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor, has ushered in a tenuous calm. However, this truce masks an evolving and complex conflict landscape marked by intermittent ceasefire violations and sophisticated hybrid warfare tactics that stretch beyond traditional battlefields. What may appear to be de-escalation is, in fact, the onset of a new phase of the conflict--less visible, yet equally dangerous. The brief lull in hostilities has already been disrupted by multiple ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, particularly in the Rajouri and Poonch sectors. These incidents, reportedly involving mortar shelling and small arms fire by the Pakistan army, indicate that the ceasefire remains precarious. While both sides have refrained from formally acknowledging violations, local accounts and reports suggest a pattern of low-intensity engagements that challenge the ceasefire's credibility on the ground. More significantly, the confrontation has expanded into cyberspace and the information domain, marking a paradigm shift. Since May 11, Indian cyber agencies have reported over 1.5 million cyberattacks—not only from Pakistan but also from IP addresses traced to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, and parts of West Asia. A report titled Road of Sindoor, compiled by the Maharashtra cyber police and shared with key law enforcement bodies, attributes these attacks to Pakistan-linked hacking groups such as APT 36, Pakistan Cyber Force, and Mysterious Bangladesh, suggesting the emergence of a coordinated, transnational cyber warfare strategy. These attacks, employing malware, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) tactics, and misinformation campaigns, constitute advanced persistent threats (APTs) and are multi-vector in nature. While many were neutralized, some succeeded in defacing websites and allegedly extracting data from key institutions. For instance, the Mizoram Public Service Commission's portal was compromised, displaying messages glorifying Pakistan. Cybersecurity firms like SentinelOne and CrowdStrike have observed breaches exploiting vulnerabilities in South Asia and proxy networks across North Africa, West Asia, and North Korea, often employing tools like ShadowPad—a modular backdoor linked to suspected China-affiliated cyber-espionage groups. These attacks frequently use VPN chains and layered infrastructure to obscure their origin, underscoring the growing complexity of attribution and response in this diffuse, transnational threat environment. Simultaneously, intelligence agencies have reported a surge in information warfare. Social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), have witnessed coordinated inauthentic activity including hashtag campaigns, doctored images, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated deepfakes targeting Indian military actions in Kashmir and the Northeast. Government sources in Delhi have linked many of these operations to bot networks previously associated with Pakistani influence campaigns. This psychological warfare appears aimed at influencing global perceptions, potentially affecting domestic morale and amplifying internal divisions--particularly during sensitive moments such as military funerals and regional protests. Adding another layer of complexity is the deepening Chinese connection to Pakistan's military posture. Defence analysts and satellite imagery confirm the deployment of Chinese-origin J-10C fighter jets armed with PL-15E beyond-visual-range missiles in the Skardu region. Though officially described as routine, their proximity to contested air corridors in Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan suggests strategic signalling. Open-source military trackers note that this may be the first time such assets have been stationed in high-altitude readiness since the 2020 Galwan clashes. Turkey and Azerbaijan have also openly supported Pakistan amid the rising tensions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government continues to raise the Kashmir issue in international forums and extend diplomatic backing to Islamabad. Azerbaijan, closely aligned with Turkey through cultural and strategic ties, has also reinforced its relationship with Pakistan—strengthened during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict where Pakistan offered military support. These alliances raise the prospect of material or strategic backing for Pakistan, adding a broader regional dimension to the current standoff. India now faces a formidable challenge: How to respond to attacks that are neither clearly visible nor easily attributable. The war has shifted from terrain to networks, from troop deployments to data disruptions, from conventional battles to algorithmic influence. Defence strategists are urging a robust focus on military-grade cyber deterrence, State-level cybersecurity capacity building, and the development of a legal framework for transnational cyber attribution and response. Cross-sector coordination between military, civil defence, and private cybersecurity stakeholders has become not just necessary but urgent. What is unfolding is not a post-war calm but a transition into War 2.0—--a state of continuous, low-intensity, multidomain conflict. While the guns may be temporarily silent, the digital battlefield is active, adaptive, and expanding. India's challenge is no longer just winning conventional wars but fortifying its systems, institutions, and civil society against a war that rarely declares itself. This article is authored by Hriday Sarma, senior fellow, South Asia Democratic Forum, Brussels.
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Meeting diaspora, watching garba, speaking to ANI: What anti-terror MP delegations are doing abroad
Seven delegations comprising retired Indian diplomats and MPs from all major political parties are travelling around the world to deliver India's message of zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. According to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the reason for picking members from parties across the political spectrum was to 'project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism' on the world stage. But many MPs appear to be treating this as an opportunity to project themselves to their voters back home too. The public engagements of prominent politicians participating in this exercise show that the challenge of Pakistan-backed terrorism is not the only one taking up all their time. The netas are paying special attention to the Indian diaspora, attending cultural functions and speaking to the Indian media. Domestic politics first For example, Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, visited the memorial of Bengali freedom fighter Rash Behari Bose in Tokyo on May 23. There, he complained about the rundown condition of the structure dedicated to this 'great son of Bengal' and asked the Indian ambassador in Japan to take it up with the local authorities. Banerjee also offered prayers at the Ramakrishna Mission in Singapore. This sect of Hinduism, which originated in nineteenth-century Kolkata and spread across the world, continues to wield a powerful influence in West Bengal. During his official visit to Japan, Shri @abhishekaitc took time from his demanding schedule to visit the Tama Cemetery in Tokyo, where he paid solemn tribute to freedom fighter, national hero, and one of Bengal's most revered son — Shri Rash Behari Bose. — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 23, 2025 The Bengal leader was by no means the only one playing to his gallery at home on this global sojourn. Ideological opponents both to his Left and Right did not lose sight of their domestic audiences either. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey, who is part of the Indian contingent touring Bahrain and Kuwait, spoke to journalists there about subjects like India's foreign policy and Pakistan-linked terrorism. Except that the interviews were for Indian news wire agencies, such as Asian News International and Press Trust of India. John Brittas of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was in Seoul meeting South Korean ministers and dignitaries. But he still found the time to write a long response to his Kerala rival Shashi Tharoor, who had criticised the CPI(M)-led Kerala government for providing aid to Turkey after an earthquake in February 2023. Photo ops and desi meetups Tharoor, himself an expert on international relations, is leading a delegation too. His group has so far visited the United States, Guyana and Panama. All three countries are members of the United Nations Security Council at present. Soon after the group arrived in New York City on May 24, they paid their respects at the 9/11 memorial and museum. It was a gesture intended to resonate with America's own experience with terrorism. However, there were no American elected representatives around to witness it or meet the Indians because the US Congress is currently in recess. The visit did receive substantial media coverage – but only in India. American papers and television channels did not consider it newsworthy. After this Tharoor's delegation headed to Guyana first and then Panama. On Thursday, the Congress MP shared pictures from his visit to the Panama Canal, which he called an 'engineering marvel'. The group in Kuwait, led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, also went to sites of cultural significance, such as the Grand Mosque. In the National Library, they studied 'rare manuscripts, ancient books, historical coins' displayed as part of an exhibition to commemorate 250 years of friendship between India and Kuwait. Besides such efforts, most delegations are devoting a lot of time to meeting the Indian diaspora. Tharoor's group, for example, spoke to members of the Indian community everywhere it went. The Congress leader even posted pictures from a garba performance at one such event in Panama supposedly attended by 300 Gujaratis and Sindhis. In Qatar, Manish Tewari, another Congress MP, spoke in Hindi while talking to expat Indians about Pakistan's involvement in terrorism against India. When Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi met with Indians in Kuwait , he described Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir as 'stupid jokers'. Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar also put up social media posts about their meetings with meetings the Indian diaspora. Chaturvedi was in France, while Sule was in South Africa. Our conversation with the Indian diaspora based in Paris was heartening and heartfelt. They continue to be the best brand ambassadors of India. 3/ — Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) May 27, 2025 The diplomatic grind The aim of this diplomatic exercise was to convince the world that India had no option but to respond firmly to the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead and that its military action against Pakistan was 'focused, measured and non-escalatory' in nature. But public documents released by the Ministry of External Affairs suggest that most foreign governments hosting the Indian delegations are yet to be convinced. While ministers and dignitaries in these countries have extended solidarity and support to India in its fight against terrorism, they are stopping short of ascribing the responsibility for Pahalgam to Pakistan. The responses received by the Indian contingent travelling through East Asia illustrate this. That group managed to get an audience with the foreign minister of Japan, who expressed his 'heartfelt condolences' to the victims of the terror attack. They also met the junior foreign minister of Singapore. 'Singapore strongly condemns all acts of terrorism and stands with India against terrorism,' she told them. However, neither of these officials made any mention of Pakistan. There were cultural performances (the garba stood out), a lively q&A… — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 28, 2025 The vice foreign minister of South Korea also 'condemned the [Pahalgam] attack and expressed understanding of India's position' during his meeting with the delegation. But he did not offer explicit support for India's actions during Operation Sindoor. Harsh Pant, vice president of the Observer Research Foundation and a professor of international relations at King's College London contended that in spite of this lack of visible impact at the moment, the delegations were a good idea. 'The world has a lot of things to worry about at the moment and the India-Pakistan issue is not a top priority,' Pant explained. 'But India is doing well to ensure that its message about how it wants to deal with the issue of terrorism is conveyed to its partners and allies. The move to send all-party delegations is a good, sound one. We will find out its effectiveness as time goes by.'
