Indian security agencies are closely monitoring what they describe as a deliberate and escalating effort by Hamas to build an extremist support network across South Asia, with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka identified as primary footholds, according to intelligence inputs reviewed as of 23 June. The Palestinian militant group, traditionally focused on its conflict with Israel, is now believed to be pursuing a wider regional presence through structured alliances with established terror outfits.

Key Developments

Pakistan has on several occasions hosted senior Hamas leaders, who have reportedly been observed interacting with members of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), according to security officials. Agencies have also drawn tactical comparisons between the Pahalgam attack and the methods employed during Hamas's October 7 assault on Israel — a parallel that officials say underscores the operational significance of these linkages.

While Hamas's ties with Pakistan-based terror networks have long been treated as an open secret within intelligence circles, officials now say the group is actively widening its reach beyond Pakistan into Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

How Hamas Plans to Operate

An Intelligence Bureau official indicated that Hamas is unlikely to operate openly under its own banner in these countries. 'It would work along with outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Al-Qaeda in Bangladesh, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and pro-Hamas groups in Sri Lanka,' the official said.

A second official noted that Hamas may not necessarily participate directly in operational activities alongside these groups. Instead, such alliances are valued for expanding the organisation's influence, visibility, and support infrastructure — including logistical advantages and cross-border fundraising networks.

Security agencies have further assessed that these efforts could eventually extend into Nepal, Myanmar, and the Maldives. 'Hamas would not find it difficult to undertake these operations,' another official said.

ISI's Alleged Role

According to intelligence agencies, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has played a key facilitating role in Hamas's regional outreach. Officials allege that the Pakistani spy agency has encouraged Hamas leaders to visit South Asian countries and cultivate alliances with local organisations — arrangements that, officials believe, serve the ISI's own interest in expanding its influence and deepening connections among extremist groups across the region.

Recruitment and Radicalisation Concerns

The immediate concern flagged by agencies is not the imminent launch of coordinated terror operations, but rather the prospect of significantly enhanced recruitment across multiple extremist organisations. 'All these terror groups would also benefit from the Hamas branding. The alliance partners of Hamas all have a common enemy in Israel, and hence this combination would work out best for all of them,' an official said.

Officials warn that Hamas could also contribute to radicalisation through ideological outreach and support networks, with a particular long-term concern that Indian youth could eventually be targeted for recruitment.

Israeli Ambassador's Warning

Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar, in a recent interview, said that Hamas-linked activities had been taking place in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and expressed concern that the organisation's influence could spread beyond the Middle East. Azar further stated that Hamas has been active in both countries since the October 7 attacks on Israel.

From India's strategic perspective, officials say Hamas's efforts to cultivate relationships with extremist groups in neighbouring countries represent a significant and evolving security challenge — one that agencies are watching with growing urgency.