Security agencies flag spike in ISIS propaganda targeting India

Indian agencies report increased propaganda and fundraising activity by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and Islamic State Khorasan Province targeting India, urging attacks, spreading AI-generated misinformation, and expanding recruitment through encrypted and multilingual online networks

New Delhi: Indian security agencies have flagged a recent spike in activity by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s media network, with a sharper focus on India.

While propaganda aimed at Europe and the United States has called for high-profile attacks during global events such as the FIFA World Cup, messaging directed at India is urging operatives to carry out large-scale strikes.

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An Intelligence Bureau official said the group’s media channels have been urging large-scale attacks at crowded public places. At the same time, they are appealing for donations to strengthen the Afghanistan-based Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).

The official said there has been a surge in messages seeking donations. Officials noted a surge in fundraising messages in recent weeks, with the drive gathering pace this month. Contributions are being sought under the label of ‘sadaqat’, or charity, often through cryptocurrency. These funds, they said, are being routed to support ISKP operations in Afghanistan.

The ISKP is also seen to be exploiting tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Earlier, sustained pressure from the Taliban had curtailed its activities. However, the shifting situation in the region has provided the group with space to regroup and rebuild its network.

The ISKP has sought to exploit tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan to its advantage. Officials say the conflict created an opening for the group to regain lost ground. Earlier, sustained pressure from the Taliban had kept its activities in check. However, with attention diverted by the ongoing situation, the ISKP has used the window to reorganise and rebuild its network.

“This urgency explains the renewed push for funds,” another official said.

The group appears to recognise that conditions in Afghanistan may not remain favourable for long, and is trying to build capacity while the window exists. According to officials, its propaganda, misinformation campaigns and fundraising efforts are increasingly focused on India. A major attack, they assess, is seen as a way to draw attention and boost recruitment.

The idea of establishing a Caliphate in India, with Jammu and Kashmir projected as its centre, has been widely pushed through its propaganda. Officials say some individuals have been drawn in by this messaging and believe that the ISKP can achieve these aims. To deepen its outreach, the group has expanded its presence across multiple social media platforms.

While misleading narratives are circulated openly online, appeals for attacks and funding are routed through encrypted channels. Agencies are closely monitoring the Al-Azaim Foundation for Media Production, which is seen as a key hub in this network. Officials describe its operations as highly organised, with content disseminated in a wide range of languages. They deliver messages in Pashto, Dari, Arabic, Urdu, Farsi, Uzbek, Tajik, Turkish, Russian, Hindi, Malayalam, and English. With the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), its messaging has expanded to more languages.

Officials say the group has been using AI to produce fabricated videos. In some cases, ordinary locations in India are depicted as sites of communal violence, with visuals suggesting attacks on minority communities. Agencies believe these clips are designed to provoke unrest. Recent content, they note, has become sharper in tone and is clearly aimed at audiences in India.

Apart from the Al-Azaim Foundation for Media Production, the ISKP is also using its Pashto-language publication, Khurasan Ghag, to advance its messaging. The magazine is tailored primarily for readers in South Asia.