Six Months After Operation Sindoor, Terror Groups Lashkar, Jaish Mobilising in J&K

Fresh intelligence reports accessed by NDTV have raised alarms in security circles across Srinagar and New Delhi, indicating a potential resurgence of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir just six months after India's Operation Sindoor. The operation, a series of precision strikes conducted in early May 2025, targeted terror launch pads across the Line of Control in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam attack in April that claimed 12 Indian soldiers and civilians.

Officials have described the latest inputs as a "critical warning", pointing to mobilisation efforts by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), two UN-designated terror outfits long accused of orchestrating cross-border incursions from their bases in Pakistan's Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. This escalation underscores the fragile post-operation calm, with Indian agencies monitoring heightened chatter on encrypted channels and unusual movements of arms and recruits near the border.

Operation Sindoor, named after the vermilion symbolising resolve in Hindu tradition, marked a bold evolution in India's counter-terror doctrine, involving drone strikes and special forces raids that neutralised over 50 militants and destroyed key infrastructure, according to defence sources. Launched on May 6 following the Pahalgam ambush—where JeM claimed responsibility via a propaganda video—the campaign drew international scrutiny but was hailed domestically for restoring deterrence after the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.

In its aftermath, infiltration attempts dropped by 40 per cent in the subsequent quarter, per Jammu and Kashmir Police data, allowing for incremental normalcy in the Valley, including the resumption of Amarnath Yatra preparations and economic revival initiatives under the Union Territory's administration. However, the brief respite appears to be fraying, with the new intelligence suggesting LeT and JeM are adapting tactics, possibly incorporating cyber elements and local sleeper cells to stage coordinated urban assaults.

The reported plans involve a multi-pronged strategy, including ambushes on security convoys in the Pir Panjal range, grenade attacks on civilian targets in the Srinagar and Jammu districts, and potential fidayeen-style assaults on high-value installations like the upcoming G20 tourism summits in Kashmir. Intelligence intercepts, corroborated by satellite imagery from Indian and allied assets, reveal training camps in Muzaffarabad reactivating with fresh batches of indoctrinated youth from Pakistan's madrassas, funnelled through porous segments of the 740-kilometre LoC. JeM, under the stewardship of Masood Azhar's successors, is reportedly prioritising IED fabrication, while LeT focuses on radicalising disaffected Kashmiri youth via social media proxies. This dual-threat axis exploits seasonal fog and winter snow cover for stealthy crossings, a pattern observed in past winters that claimed over 60 lives in 2024 alone.

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In response, the Indian Army's Northern Command has intensified patrols and electronic surveillance, while the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has ramped up operations against overground workers in the Valley. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, facing calls for a repeat surgical strike, has reiterated a "zero-tolerance" stance at the UN, urging Islamabad to dismantle terror havens amid stalled SAARC dialogues.

As winter sets in, raising the spectre of isolated outposts, experts emphasise the need for enhanced border fencing upgrades and community outreach to preempt radicalisation. The unfolding threat not only tests India's resolve but also highlights the enduring geopolitical friction, where proxy warfare persists despite diplomatic overtures for trade normalisation. With elections looming in 2026, containing this wave could define the narrative of stability in the contested region.

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