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OPINION JULY 24, 2026 | The Indian Eye 10

Digitally Enabled Radicalization

and Violent Extremism in India

India’s rapidly evolving security landscape is increasingly shaped by the online ecosystem, driven by the
convergence of emerging technologies, decentralized peer-to-peer networks, and online communities.

sequence of technological evolution,
aided by the expansion of internet
access and advancements in emerg-
ing technologies that enable encrypt-
ed communication for operational
planning and the dissemination of
extremist content, have raised the
stakes for states, including India,
seeking to revamp their security ap-
paratus in tandem with existing reali-
SAMAN AYESHA KIDWAI ties and emerging trends.
PRAHAAR is an important and
he digital ecosystem is increas- much-needed step in that direction.
ingly playing an enabling role The Union government acknowledg-
Tin disseminating propagan- es in its national counter-terrorism
da, incitement and mobilization in policy and strategy document that:
the pursuit of violent extremist acts. For propaganda, communica-
While not every act of radicaliza- tion, funding and other guiding ter-
tion has manifested into incidents ror attacks, these terror groups (ISIS,
that could be categorized as violent The emerging security landscape is increasingly shaped by AI platforms and online network- Al-Qaeda, and Pak-backed terror
extremist in nature, rigorous online ing, both of which have contributed to shaping the current phase of radicalization and violent outfits) use social media platforms
indoctrination carries the potential extremism in India (IDSA) as well as ‘instant messaging applica-
to, through sustained radicalization, tions.’ Technological advancements
eventually transform into acts of vi- like encryption, dark web, crypto wal-
olent extremism targeted at state concerns attached to the exploita- terrorism converge with an increas- lets, etc. have allowed these groups
infrastructure, places of worship, tion of social media and encrypted ingly penetrable digital environment, to operate anonymously.
government agencies, elected repre- chat forums by violent extremists. It regulating content shared on social Recent investigations and case
sentatives, or unarmed civilians. signals that developments within the media or encrypted chat forums be- studies further reveal that online
This is particularly important as broader digital ecosystem need to be comes crucial. radicalization in India is anchored in
traditional avenues and timelines for factored into national security policy. The Threat of Online four fundamental pillars: encrypted
radicalization and subsequent acts of This is particularly crucial given Radicalization communication, online propaganda,
violent extremism (including terror- the recent acts of extremist violence, social media, and private messaging
ism) have become far less dependent including the car blast near the Red ndia has, over the decades, faced platforms or applications. The recur-
on physical or in-person interactions Fort in New Delhi (November 2025) physical acts of terror and narcot- ring trends reflect a concerning real-
over prolonged periods. As per the and the lone wolf stabbing incident in Iics trafficking (via drones) linked ity: the dual challenges of radicaliza-
Global Terrorism Index Report 2026, Mumbai (April 2026), which indicate to Khalistanis and Pakistan-backed tion and violent extremism no longer
the time taken for an individual to that the perpetrators have increas- groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed require prolonged physical or in-per-
become radicalized and subsequent- ingly been indoctrinated online to (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). son communication, trust-building
ly commit acts of extremist violence carry out acts aimed at undermining While these threats have persisted, exercises, the cultivation of offline
has shrunk to a matter of weeks by national security (see subsequent the transformations taking place in social networks, face-to-face recruit-
2026, down from more than a year sections for details). the technological realm have resulted ment, or repeated indoctrination
in 2005, from first exposure to radi- At the same time, there have in important developments. This has lasting several months. Rather, the
cal material to the carrying out of an been crackdowns on micro-cells been particularly evident in the ways entire process can take place online
attack. and online networks of extremists non-state actors evade surveillance, within a few short weeks. Taken to-
Broader Domestic Context inspired by the virulent ideology es- conduct logistical and operational gether, these investigations indicate
poused by Al-Qaeda (AQ) and ISIS planning aimed at carrying out acts that online radicalization within the
ver the last decade, India on the one hand, and criminal net- of violence to undermine state secu- domestic context has been shaped by
has taken decisive steps to works linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Ser- rity, and raise funds through encrypt- three facets operating simultaneous-
Oneutralize emerging security vices Intelligence (ISI) on the other. ed blockchain technology available ly, and at times overlapping: import-
threats, including the institutionaliza- The latter, in particular, operates at on cryptocurrency platforms, where ed propaganda consumed online,
tion of PRAHAAR in February 2026, the intersection of organized crime regulatory enforcement measures re- digitally networked infrastructure,
India’s first publicly available nation- and terrorism. main limited. and foreign handlers, particularly
al counter-terrorism strategy. The Therefore, as conventional Furthermore, the structural those based in Pakistan.
document acknowledges the growing threats such as organized crime and transformations underway as a con- Continued on next page... >>

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