India’s involvement in cross-border terrorism, particularly through Afghanistan, has long been a source of concern for Pakistan. Over the years, evidence has emerged highlighting India’s support for insurgent groups that operate along Pakistan’s western border. By using Afghan territory as a staging ground, India has facilitated the activities of militant organizations that seek to destabilize Pakistan. The repercussions of this involvement have been profound, leading to countless attacks, loss of innocent lives, and a deteriorating security situation in the region. Despite Pakistan’s repeated warnings and intelligence reports exposing India’s role, the international community has largely ignored this aspect of regional instability.
A notable instance of India’s involvement in cross-border terrorism was the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan, which resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals, including soldiers, railway staff, and civilians. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which claimed responsibility for the attack, has long been suspected of receiving financial and logistical support from Indian intelligence agencies. Pakistan’s military officials have accused India of using Afghanistan as a safe haven to train and arm BLA militants. Although India has denied these allegations, the growing number of attacks carried out by the BLA and other militant organizations suggests a pattern of external backing that cannot be ignored.
Pakistan has consistently pointed to India’s use of Afghan soil to sponsor terrorism. In February 2023, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif explicitly stated that India was training terrorists along the Afghan border to target Pakistan. Groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been regrouping in Afghanistan, benefitting from Indian financial and military support. The TTP has orchestrated numerous attacks inside Pakistan, targeting security personnel, government installations, and civilians. According to intelligence reports, India has provided arms and funding to these groups, aiming to weaken Pakistan internally. The resurgence of the TTP following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has further fueled concerns that India is exploiting the fragile situation in Afghanistan to orchestrate attacks against Pakistan.
The presence of extremist organizations in Afghanistan, such as ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), has also complicated the security landscape. The United Nations has reported that Indian nationals have traveled to Afghanistan to join terrorist groups, raising serious concerns about India’s involvement in regional terrorism. The use of Indian operatives in Afghan-based militant networks demonstrates a broader strategy of undermining Pakistan’s security through proxy warfare. These groups have not only targeted Pakistan but have also posed a threat to Afghanistan’s stability, exacerbating regional tensions. By funding and supporting these militant organizations, India has played a dangerous game that risks igniting a broader conflict in South Asia.
Pakistan has repeatedly called for international scrutiny of India’s actions, providing evidence of its involvement in terrorism. The capture of Indian intelligence officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in 2016 served as a major revelation of India’s clandestine operations in Pakistan. Jadhav, a serving officer of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was arrested in Balochistan while actively coordinating terrorist activities. His confession provided irrefutable proof of India’s sponsorship of insurgent groups, including the BLA and TTP. Despite this, India has continued to deny any wrongdoing, and international bodies have largely failed to hold India accountable for its actions.
India’s growing influence in Afghanistan, particularly before the Taliban’s return to power, was another indication of its strategic objectives in the region. Through its extensive investments in infrastructure and diplomatic engagement, India sought to establish a foothold in Afghanistan, often using its presence to orchestrate activities against Pakistan. Pakistan has viewed this influence with suspicion, believing that India’s involvement in Afghanistan was never purely developmental but also served covert military and intelligence purposes. Even after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, India’s efforts to maintain ties with Afghan factions suggest a continued interest in using Afghanistan as a platform to counter Pakistan’s security interests.
Beyond Afghanistan, India’s involvement in extraterritorial operations has come under global scrutiny. Allegations have surfaced that Indian intelligence agencies have engaged in targeted assassinations of dissidents in countries like Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The assassination of Sikh leaders and activists abroad has exposed India’s willingness to operate outside its borders to silence opposition voices. This pattern of transnational repression raises questions about India’s broader counterinsurgency strategy and its impact on global security.
The cumulative effect of India’s actions has been a deterioration of trust between Pakistan and India, with Pakistan bearing the brunt of cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan territories. India’s persistent interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, through both direct and indirect means, has undermined regional peace efforts. Despite Pakistan’s repeated diplomatic efforts to bring attention to India’s involvement in terrorism, the lack of a firm international response has emboldened India to continue its destabilizing activities.
Pakistan has taken significant steps to counter cross-border terrorism, increasing border security and launching military operations against terrorist hideouts. However, as long as India continues to exploit Afghanistan’s ungoverned spaces to fuel militancy in Pakistan, achieving lasting stability will remain a challenge. The recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan, including the Jaffar Express incident, highlight the urgent need for a coordinated global response to address India’s role in cross-border terrorism.
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