The thud of a car explosion shattered Delhi's calm on November 10. Near the Red Fort - a symbol of India's sovereignty - 13 lives were lost in a blast that has since exposed one of the most disturbing terror blueprints in recent years. As security agencies trace the threads of what they call a“white-collar terror module”, with the Al Falah University under the scanner, Dr Soumya Awasthi, Fellow, Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation decodes how terrorism in India has evolved.

In an exclusive interview with Asianet Newsable English's Heena Sharma, Awasthi warns that the country is facing a tectonic shift. Terrorism, she says, has morphed into a sprawling, tech-enabled ecosystem where ideology, recruitment, funding, and training now thrive in digital shadows.

“Digital Spaces Have Become the New Madrasa”

“Radicalization methods have changed. It has become a little more expanded in its methods,” Awasthi says.“Earlier, we used to hear about how madrasas and mosques are only responsible for radicalization. But now I'm seeing a trend in the last few years, maybe five or six, when more and more people are getting radicalized through digital space.”

She explains that social media platforms - from YouTube Shorts to Instagram Reels, from TikTok to Snapchat - have become pipelines of ideological influence.

“Some of them are biased, not aware completely about the background, history, and facts,” she adds.“But they are picking up a small political issue and creating a story around it. People are listening and getting influenced ideologically.”

It's not just about what's being said - it's about how it's being packaged. Short clips, doctored visuals, and algorithmic echo chambers are turning digital spaces into recruitment dens far more potent than any physical classroom.

When Games Turn into Gateways

If social media is the megaphone, gaming platforms are the new meeting grounds.

Awasthi sounds a stark warning:“Online gaming at the moment looks more like a financial scam portal, but it has more to it. It doesn't have only financial impact, but also people are using it for extremist ideologies and propaganda.”

She describes how customised“mod” games simulate conflict zones, and how encrypted in-game chats allow handlers to identify, communicate with, and groom potential recruits. 

“They're using it for communication with people who look like potential recruits. They are also creating bots and modified games where people are playing with conflict scenarios in mind,” she notes.

Beneath the surface, these spaces also serve as covert fundraising platforms. In-game transactions, microdonations, and“community fundraisers” can all become fronts for terror financing.

Funding the Unseen: Zakat, Wallets, and the Dark Web

If recruitment has gone digital, so has money.

Awasthi outlines a disturbing financial trail. 

“ISKP was the first to come up with a QR code on their magazine asking for zakat. In the name of zakat, people are using online platforms to make payments,” she says.

She adds that groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad have pioneered this trend in South Asia. 

“They've been openly asking for donations on digital wallets. It helps them with deniability - they can always say, 'I made a donation to a charitable fund,' not terror financing.”

Beneath this surface of plausible deniability runs a labyrinth of microtransactions, crypto transfers, and dark web operations. Awasthi points to the sale of stolen credit card data, the laundering of drug profits via crypto exchanges, and the use of gaming wallets to mask terror funding.

AI: The New Weapon of Mass Deception

Artificial intelligence, Awasthi warns, has added an entirely new dimension to this threat.

“AI is a big challenge,” she says.“It is becoming a tool for a lot of misinformation and disinformation campaigns. Information warfare is taking place through the use of AI.”

From deepfake videos to cloned voices, the line between real and fake is blurring. 

“You may get calls where someone says, 'Your son has been caught for drug peddling.' You'll even hear your son's voice - but it's not actually him. AI is being used for doctoring videos and audios,” she says.

Her assessment is chilling:“AI, for terrorist organizations, is as scary as a nuclear weapon. They can do so much with AI that can be equivalent to a nuclear weapon.”

Identity Crisis: Forged Documents, Fake Lives

Awasthi also flags the crisis of identity integrity. 

“Now you must be hearing that Aadhaar card is no more valid only as your identity proof,” she says.“In border areas, people are getting fake Aadhaar cards made by paying as little as ₹100 or ₹200.”

With a fake Aadhaar, she warns, one can open a bank account or digital wallet - a perfect entry point for financial and operational infiltration. 

“ChatGPT is helping you make your own Aadhaar card,” she quips grimly, underlining how generative AI is being twisted for identity fraud.

Turkey, China, and the Education Routes

The ORF fellow also points to a worrying pattern in cross-border academic migration. 

“Turkey is becoming a hub for education, especially for the Muslim community,” Awasthi observes.

She references the Red Fort case, where several suspects had travelled to Türkiye for studies and training. 

“We have a list of countries and degrees that are not valid from certain places - we need to add Turkey to that list as well,” she insists.

While she acknowledges this is a sensitive issue, Awasthi argues for stronger degree recognition filters and background checks for returnees from certain institutions abroad.

“We need a fusion cell” - Coordinating the Counter

For Awasthi, the biggest gap lies not in capability but in coordination.

“We don't lack strategic strength,” she says.“But we do not use it the right way. The need of the hour is that all ministries' communication departments work together towards countering the dissemination of propaganda.”

She calls for what she terms a“fusion cell” - an integrated, 24/7 hub combining resources from multiple ministries and agencies to counter misinformation and hostile narratives in real time.

“Today, to win a war, it is important to win your story as well,” she stresses.“Perception management becomes very important through countering misinformation.”

The Red Fort Blast: A Case Study in White-Collar Terror

The interview coincides with the investigation into the Red Fort blast - a case that epitomises the hybrid face of modern terrorism.

On November 10, a Hyundai i10 exploded near the Red Fort, killing 13 people. Investigators later traced the origins to Al Falah University in Faridabad, where three doctors from south Kashmir - Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, Dr Umar Nabi, and Dr Muzaffar Rather - allegedly ran a sophisticated“white-collar” terror module.

Police have since seized over 2,900 kg of explosives linked to the group and arrested several associates, including Dr Shaheen Sayeed and Maulvi Ishtiyaq. Dr Umar Nabi was confirmed as the driver of the car through DNA testing, while Dr Muzaffar Rather is believed to have fled to Afghanistan. Interpol has been moved for a Red Corner Notice.

Investigators say the module sourced ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and sulphur in small quantities from open markets, stockpiling them over months - a chilling reminder of how professional expertise can blend with terror intent in the digital age.

A War Beyond Borders, and Beyond Screens

Soumya Awasthi's analysis is sobering: the battlefield has moved from mountains to modems.

From gaming platforms to encrypted wallets, from deepfake videos to fake IDs, terrorism is now embedded in the technologies we use every day. The Red Fort case, she argues, is not an isolated tragedy - it is a symptom of a wider, more invisible war.

“Perception management,” she repeats,“is something which becomes very important through countering misinformation.”

The challenge, she warns, is not just to fight terror - but to outthink it.

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