Rapid Summary
- jaish-e-Mohammed Expansion: The terror group led by Masood Azhar, notorious for attacks on India, is reportedly establishing networks in Myanmar following similar activities in Bangladesh.
- New Operations Revealed: Evidence suggests the group trained individuals at its Balakot facility in Pakistan before deploying them to Myanmar. Approximately ₹42 lakh (USD 50,000) was provided for “Myanmar Mujahideen” operations under local leadership.
- Targeting Vulnerable Groups: Jaish is focusing on recruiting marginalized Rohingya youth in Myanmar by exploiting their socio-political vulnerabilities.
- Historic Attacks in India: Jaish-e-Mohammed has carried out high-profile operations on Indian soil, including the Parliament attack (2001), Pathankot airbase attack (2016), and Pulwama bombing (2019).
- India’s Eastern Border Concerns: The presence of Jaish near the open India-Myanmar border increases security challenges. Unstable local conditions may facilitate infiltration and terrorism activities.
!Navbharat Times Author
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Indian Opinion Analysis
The expansion of Jaish-e-Mohammed into Myanmar signifies a troubling new dimension for India’s security outlook. Historically focused on operating from Pakistan with attacks targeting indian interests directly, its outreach to neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar amplifies regional instability and complicates counterterrorism efforts.For India, the porous nature of its eastern border with myanmar coupled with ongoing civil conflict in the region makes vigilance critical. Recruitment efforts targeting vulnerable Rohingya populations not only worsen humanitarian situations but also create breeding grounds for extremism that can spill across borders into northeastern states.
India’s strategic countermeasures will need to focus equally on heightened surveillance along frontier areas and fostering better regional cooperation with neighbors to tackle shared concerns related to terrorism financing, training hubs, and potential cross-border insurgency escalations-issues long linked to groups like Jaish under ISI guidance.