Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), battered by India's Operation Sindoor and struggling to rebuild operational capacity, has launched an extensive digital propaganda campaign to retain relevance and prevent cadre attrition, according to Intelligence Bureau officials. The campaign, reportedly guided by Pakistan's ISI, marks what experts describe as the deepest crisis the outfit has faced in its history.

What the Campaign Targets

According to intelligence officials, the propaganda drive has two distinct objectives: radicalising youth in both India and Pakistan, and signalling to existing cadres that the organisation remains active and committed. Officials say intercepts confirm the campaign is already underway.

The material reportedly includes jihad-related content and plans to release doctored videos falsely depicting Indian armed forces as torturing civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. In India, the content is aimed at recruitment and the formation of homegrown terror cells. In Pakistan, it is designed to motivate local youth to join the outfit and take up arms against India.

How Operation Sindoor Crippled JeM

Operation Sindoor, India's retaliatory strike launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, dealt a severe blow to JeM's infrastructure. The outfit's headquarters at Bahawalpur's Markaz Subhan Allah compound was destroyed, and several senior functionaries and cadres were killed. Before the operation, the Bahawalpur facility reportedly housed around 600 active cadres, including top leadership. Those numbers have since dwindled sharply.

Officials note that while Lashkar-e-Taiba has shown signs of gradual recovery — through renewed infiltration attempts and command restructuring — JeM has failed to recover at a comparable pace. Even operations in Jammu and Kashmir have declined, owing to tightened security both within the Union Territory and along the India-Pakistan border.

Masood Azhar's Silence and Whereabouts

JeM chief Masood Azhar has remained incommunicado since Operation Sindoor, and the outfit's leadership has offered no public explanation for his prolonged absence. Officials say Azhar no longer visits the Bahawalpur facility — a deliberate security precaution after several of his close associates were reportedly targeted and killed during the Indian strikes.

There are reports, according to officials, that Azhar may be seriously unwell. Many top JeM leaders have since been relocated closer to Pakistani army installations, reportedly to ensure their protection. This is described as the longest period of silence from the outfit's top leadership in its operational history.

The Rebuilt Headquarters and What It Signals

Officials acknowledge that JeM has managed to reconstruct the physical structure of the Markaz Subhan Allah compound at Bahawalpur. However, activity at the site remains low — a sign, officials say, that the group is deliberately avoiding drawing attention from Indian intelligence agencies too soon after the strikes.

The pivot to digital propaganda, rather than operational activity, underscores the group's current limitations. Experts say this shift reflects a calculated attempt to maintain ideological influence when kinetic capacity has been severely degraded.

What Comes Next

Intelligence officials warn that the digital campaign could accelerate radicalisation among vulnerable youth if left unchecked, particularly through social media platforms where doctored content spreads rapidly. Authorities are monitoring the campaign closely, and the shift in JeM's strategy is expected to inform India's counter-terrorism posture in the weeks ahead.