In a digital world where anonymity is increasingly accessible and borderless communication is the norm, the battle against terrorism has entered a new, more complex arena-financial flows. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has in its recent report acknowledged the changing dynamics of terror financing and explicitly cited instances like the 2019 Pulwama attack and the 2022 Gorakhnath Temple incident to underscore the misuse of e-commerce platforms, online payment services, and VPNs by terrorist networks. But more significantly, it validates what India has long maintained-Pakistan’s continued role in funding and supporting terrorism on Indian soil.
India has consistently presented concrete evidence, backed by rigorous financial investigations and forensic tracking, pointing to Pakistan’s direct and indirect involvement in supporting terrorist activities. The Pulwama terror attack is a stark example. A key component used in the improvised explosive device-aluminium powder-was procured from Amazon, revealing how terrorists exploit legitimate platforms for illicit ends. Indian investigative agencies’ ability to find complex and hidden buying patterns shows not only their technical skills but also a strong intelligence system that keeps track of and understands online transactions, even when they are hidden.
Further strengthening India’s case was the revelation in the Gorakhnath Temple case, where the attacker, radicalised by ISIL ideology, used PayPal and VPN services to both send and receive funds internationally. By using VPNs to mask locations and create false digital identities, these actors avoid traditional banking channels, making the traceability of funds extremely challenging.
Yet, despite the technological smokescreen employed by such actors, Indian authorities have continued to peel back these layers, uncovering digital footprints and mapping transaction flows. It is no small feat, considering these transactions often bypass banks, use pseudonyms, and involve low-value trades to avoid detection. A disturbing trend that FATF rightly notes is the use of trade-based money laundering via e-commerce platforms-terrorists selling innocuous goods, purchasing materials under the guise of commerce, and using EPOMs (electronic and physical online marketplaces) to move funds disguised as consumer transactions.
By tracking online behaviour, identifying payment patterns, collaborating with global platforms like PayPal, and using cross-border cooperation, India has built a compelling case that terrorism today is not only about guns and bombs but also about bank accounts, courier services, and internet anonymity. The recent Pahalgam terror attack, too, has been meticulously dissected by Indian agencies, with financial links again pointing to foreign support. India has presented this to FATF and the international community, not merely for symbolic acknowledgement but to urge meaningful action.
FATF’s recognition of India’s evidence is a diplomatic and strategic breakthrough. However, words alone are not enough. FATF has put Pakistan on its grey list multiple times, yet its actions remain unchanged. Terrorist safe havens remain untouched, financial channels continue to operate, and state machinery is subtly, if not overtly, complicit. It is now time for the FATF and global institutions to act decisively. International condemnation, however strong, must translate into punitive measures-freezing of assets, suspension of aid, and stronger sanctions against states that openly sponsor terrorism. No geopolitical realignment or alliance can justify the sheltering of terrorists at the cost of innocent lives. Fighting global terrorism is not India’s responsibility alone. It is a shared global obligation, enshrined in treaties, conventions, and moral conscience. The international community must display the political will and moral spine to call out Pakistan’s duplicity and end its impunity. The message should be unequivocal: no nation can weaponise terrorism and expect to hide behind the veil of diplomacy. It is not just India’s security that hangs in the balance, but the integrity of global counter-terrorism efforts.
Let there be no ambiguity-unless the financial lifeline of terrorism is cut off at its source, no amount of military preparedness or security measures can fully neutralise the threat. It is time for Pakistan to face the consequences of its state-sponsored terror policy. And for the world to stand with India-not just in words, but in action.
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