Pahalgam Terror Attack Probe Unveils Use Of Advanced Foreign Weapons, Chinese Tech In Jammu & Kashmir
Mumbai: The ongoing investigation into the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, has revealed alarming advancements in weaponry and advanced Chinese-origin communication systems used by the attackers, pointing to a significant evolution in militant tactics, training, and foreign support, particularly from Pakistan and China.
According to classified inputs accessed by The Free Press Journal, the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam ambush were equipped with M4 carbines, American-origin assault rifles Intelligence agencies believe these firearms likely trace back to the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, when vast caches of American weapons were left behind and later trafficked into Pakistan. These were then routed to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives suspected masterminds behind the Pahalgam attack with support from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Investigators revealed that M4 carbine have increasingly appeared in Jammu and Kashmir since 2017, when one was first recovered following the killing of Talha Rashid, nephew of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, in Pulwama.in last few years operation security forces found that while some M4 rifles recovered are genuine, others are reportedly locally-manufactured knockoffs from Darra Adam Khel, a known arms hub in Pakistan. Sources said that the real threat lies not in the firepower of the M4 itself but in its modular rail system, which allows militants to attach night vision scopes, red-dot sights, and other tactical enhancements making them particularly lethal in low-light or forested areas.
Security agencies also noted a troubling shift in terrorist capability. Unlike earlier militant recruits, the current crop demonstrates superior jungle warfare skills, longer survival in the field, and greater discipline in executing ambushes. These improvements are attributed to enhanced training, likely overseen by retired Pakistani military personnel and professional handlers.
Adding to Indian concerns is the increasing presence of Chinese-origin technology in terror operations. Intelligence officials are probing the use of Huawei satellite phones recovered near the attack site. These devices, capable of bypassing traditional surveillance systems, are believed to have been smuggled in and used by terrorists for secure communication via encrypted platforms.
Even more alarming was the recovery of encrypted Huawei satellite phones and Chinese-manufactured Ultra Sets from the Pahalgam attack site. These communication tools, used by the terrorists. These devices, capable of bypassing traditional surveillance systems, are believed to have been smuggled in and used by terrorists for secure communication via encrypted platforms.
A more serious concern is the deployment of Chinese-manufactured Ultra Sets sophisticated hybrid communication devices used by Pakistan’s military and its non-state proxies. These devices operate using radio frequencies and satellite relays, making them virtually undetectable by conventional Indian surveillance systems. Messages are compressed, encrypted, and routed via Chinese satellites to servers in Pakistan, rendering traditional GSM and CDMA interception ineffective.
This technological sophistication was highlighted again during a counter-insurgency operation in the Chatroo forests following the April 9 encounter, where security forces discovered a KT (Kashmir Tigers) hideout. Recovered materials, including Chinese Ultra Sets and logistics equipment, indicated the location had served as a long-term operational base for militants.
Security analysts warn that such encrypted communication systems, likely supported by Chinese satellite infrastructure like the BeiDou navigation system, present a new frontier in asymmetric warfare. These tools grant terrorist groups both strategic mobility and tactical invisibility, challenging India’s counter-terrorism apparatus.
Efforts are underway by Indian defense and intelligence agencies to crack the encryption methods employed by these devices. While full technical details remain classified, officials noted that the Ultra Sets might utilize Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology offering secure, low-power, high-data-rate transmissions over short distances. This makes them ideal for covert militant communications deep inside forested or mountainous terrain.
The Pahalgam terror attack investigation has laid bare the evolving face of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir defined by sophisticated weaponry, advanced foreign technology, and a marked enhancement in tactical training. As the region grapples with this new wave of hybrid warfare, Indian security forces face the dual challenge of countering both the boots on the ground and the invisible digital infrastructure enabling them.
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