The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is examining possible operational, financial, and ideological links between Pakistan-backed terror outfits and the Palestinian militant group Hamas as part of its probe into the Pahalgam terror attack, officials indicated on 3 June. The agency will also explore potential ties between the attackers and Al-Qaeda, widening the scope of an investigation that increasingly points to an international footprint orchestrated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

What the NIA is investigating

Investigators are probing whether the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and The Resistance Front (TRF) maintain operational or ideological connections with Hamas. According to officials, Indian intelligence has previously flagged the presence of several Hamas leaders in Pakistan, where they were reportedly seen interacting with members of LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

“If such links are established, it would indicate that Pakistan-backed terror networks are seeking to involve internationally active extremist groups in their campaign against India,” an official said.

The ISI playbook under scrutiny

Security agencies argue that the ISI is attempting to forge ties between its proxies and battle-hardened groups abroad. Hamas, officials note, has accumulated extensive combat experience through prolonged conflict with Israel, while LeT and JeM have largely focused on sporadic strikes in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Jaish or the Lashkar, on the other hand, have focused on specific attacks, largely in Jammu and Kashmir. They have not engaged in a continued war, unlike Hamas,” an official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official described the move as a strategic shift. “It wants its terror proxies to launch attacks on India on the scale at which Hamas does on Israel,” the official said.

Meetings before and after Pahalgam

According to officials, at least four meetings between LeT, JeM, and Hamas representatives have been held in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan since the Pahalgam attack. Intelligence agencies also learnt that nearly three months before the strike, Hamas leaders were seen at a public rally in Pakistan alongside LeT and JeM commanders.

Officials say interactions extended beyond ideology to include discussions on operational matters — a development that has raised concern within India's security establishment.

Why Operation Sindoor changed the calculus

Since the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has reportedly been searching for ways to “continuously bleed” India without inviting a direct military confrontation. The operation, officials say, exposed the limited capability of LeT and JeM in handling a major conflict, with both groups losing significant infrastructure.

“However, when the terror group is tasked with this battle, the dynamics and optics would be different,” an official said, explaining why Islamabad is reportedly seeking to outsource escalation to non-state actors.

Operational parallels with Hamas tactics

Beyond probing links, the NIA is also studying operational similarities between Hamas's attack methods and the execution of the Pahalgam strike. An initial assessment, officials said, has drawn parallels in planning, coordination, and execution — findings expected to form a key part of the agency's investigation.

Security experts caution that if Indian groups adopt Hamas-style tactics, security forces could face a new and more complex form of warfare, particularly in its initial stages. The next phase of the NIA probe is expected to focus on financial trails and cross-border communications that may connect the dots.