Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), facing near-total closure of land infiltration corridors into India, is now reportedly planning to use water routes to push terrorists across the border, according to the latest intelligence inputs. The Pakistan-based terror outfit, operating with the support of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is actively examining river and sea-based pathways to resume large-scale operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Why Land Routes Have Failed

Following Operation Sindoor, multiple infiltration attempts along the Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab borders have been foiled. India has significantly reinforced its border security apparatus, making overland crossings, according to officials, next to impossible. It is this tightening that has driven LeT to revisit an older playbook — maritime and river-based entry.

Key Water Routes Under Scrutiny

Intelligence officials say the Chenab and Tawi rivers in the Jammu sector are the primary targets. The Akhnoor sector, in particular, has historically served as a critical infiltration corridor, with terror groups exploiting the river's dense surrounding vegetation and water bodies. Operatives reportedly attempt crossings under the cover of fog and darkness along the International Border.

A second route under consideration is the Sir Creek and Harami Nala — two notoriously difficult-to-patrol waterways that open into Gujarat. According to officials, if terrorists successfully enter via this route, LeT plans to move them overland to Jammu and Kashmir.

ISI-Backed Maritime Training at Mangala Dam

An Intelligence Bureau official said the ISI has assigned naval personnel to conduct maritime training for the new batch of LeT recruits — mirroring the preparation that preceded the Mumbai 26/11 attacks of 26 November 2008, when 10 terrorists entered India by sea. The training is reportedly being conducted at Mangala Dam, the same facility where Ajmal Kasab and his associates trained before the Mumbai operation.

Officials say the objective is to position between 50 and 100 active Pakistani terrorists inside Jammu and Kashmir. Once in the region, they would be instructed to take cover in dense forests and await orders before executing strikes.

India's Counter-Measures Already in Place

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has stated that international borders are being actively patrolled using watercraft, speedboats, and floating border outposts of the Border Guarding Forces (BGF). High-technology surveillance equipment, including day and night vision devices, has been deployed to strengthen border domination.

Officials acknowledge the plan is ambitious and operationally difficult, but warn that LeT is under pressure to demonstrate relevance. With Pakistan facing mounting internal turmoil in Balochistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), a major attack in Jammu and Kashmir would, according to officials, serve a dual purpose — reactivating LeT operations and deflecting global attention from Pakistan's domestic instability.

The Broader Strategic Picture

This is not the first time LeT has explored water-based infiltration. The 2008 Mumbai attacks demonstrated the group's capability to execute complex maritime operations. That the outfit is reportedly reverting to this method — now specifically targeting J&K rather than coastal cities — signals a tactical recalibration under sustained land-border pressure. Security agencies are expected to remain on heightened alert as intelligence inputs continue to be monitored.