Following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, growing concerns have emerged regarding the resurgence of transnational jihadist organizations, particularly Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). Reports documenting the continued presence of AQIS and senior Al-Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan—including the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul in July 2022—have intensified debates over the nature of the relationship between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and the potential security implications for the broader region.
This study addresses the following research question: How has the threat posed by Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) evolved across the Indian subcontinent following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan? Employing a descriptive–analytical research design and drawing on documentary, library, and online sources, the study examines the changing operational environment of AQIS after 2021. The findings suggest that Taliban-controlled Afghanistan has provided AQIS with a permissive operating environment, facilitating recruitment, training, logistical coordination, and strategic planning. Consequently, AQIS has strengthened its operational capabilities and expanded its capacity to support and coordinate activities targeting countries across the Indian subcontinent, particularly Bangladesh, Myanmar, India (especially Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan. The study concludes that developments in Afghanistan have heightened the regional security significance of AQIS and underscore the need for enhanced counterterrorism cooperation among South Asian states.