J&K: Amid Decline In Local Terror Recruitment, Social Media Posts Promoting Terrorism and Secessionism Surge

Over the past month, there has been a significant rise in social media activity by Pakistan- and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)-based terrorist accounts, aimed at promoting terrorism, secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and anti-India sentiments.

Indian security agencies view this surge as a renewed attempt by Pakistan-backed groups to revive local recruitment for terrorism in J&K, according to intelligence sources cited by Times of India.

Analysis by Indian agencies of anti-India activity from identified terror-linked accounts on platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and the Dark Web revealed over 2,000 concerning posts in October and November.

This is a sharp increase from just 89 during the same period in 2023—indicating a more than 22-fold rise. Of these posts, more than 130 each were focused on promoting terrorism and anti-India rhetoric, 33 endorsed separatism and secession, and 310 threatened infrastructure and public places such as schools.

A senior officer within the central security establishment pointed out that terrorist groups are using social media to exploit and radicalise youth in J&K, reminiscent of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani's influence before his death in 2016.

The emphasis on social media recruitment comes amid a sharp decline in local participation in terrorism, with only four local recruits this year compared to 22 in 2023 and 113 in 2022. Currently, about 30 local terrorists are active in J&K, compared to 75-80 foreign terrorists.

Officials suggest that efforts to increase local recruitment may indicate plans for heightened terror activity by summer 2025, rather than immediate winter disruptions.

A senior J&K government official credited the central and UT administrations' zero-tolerance approach to terror—including disrupting funding and restricting government employment and document clearances for terror-linked individuals—as a factor in reducing local recruitment.

Interestingly, the rise in terrorist social media outreach comes as an elected government is established in the union territory, with agencies investigating whether these political changes have emboldened terrorist groups.

An intelligence report suggests that Pakistan's ISI may be planning attacks on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders in Kashmir, possibly to incite unrest or respond to JeI’s political involvement in recent elections.

Drone activity remains a concern in J&K, with 40 sightings reported this year up to October, compared to 31 in the same period in 2023.