The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) body monitoring counter-terrorism sanctions has linked last year’s deadly Red Fort blast in Delhi to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The attack killed 15 people and has now been officially associated with the Al-Qaeda offshoot, according to a report published by the UN body this week. The assessment also warned that AQIS is changing its strategy by building smaller and separate terrorist cells instead of operating through large organised groups.

The blast took place in November 2025 near Delhi’s Red Fort. The attack came at a time when investigators had uncovered a large cache of explosives in Haryana’s Faridabad, around 50 km from the national capital. Authorities had recovered around 2,900 kg of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate. The discovery was linked to a terror module that investigators were tracking.

Umar Mohammad, who has been identified as the suicide bomber, reportedly triggered the blast after panic spread within the module. His actions came under scanner after investigators arrested two key members, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather, and seized the explosives. The arrests and recovery of the explosive material had increased pressure on the terror network.

The latest UN assessment said AQIS has continued to develop from a fragmented organisation into a regional terrorist entity. The group has moved away from relying on large terror formations. Instead, it has adopted a strategy of creating and expanding a network of small, independent cells. This approach can allow its members to operate separately while maintaining links with the wider organisation.

The report also said that AQIS has built logistical and financial networks to support its activities. These networks are aimed at helping the organisation maintain its operations and expand its presence across the region. The UN assessment indicates that the group continues to adapt its methods despite counter-terrorism operations targeting its members and networks.

The UNSC also raised concerns about Bangladesh. The report warned that AQIS may try to use the neighbouring country as a base to establish new terrorist cells. The assessment is significant for India, which has repeatedly raised concerns over radicalisation and the presence of terrorist networks in Bangladesh. The possibility of AQIS using the country to expand its operations could create additional security concerns for the region.

The UN report also highlighted the continuing interest of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIL/Da’esh) affiliates in developing chemical and biological weapons. These groups have shown interest in such weapons for several years. However, the report said they have so far failed to overcome the technical difficulties involved in producing them.

At the same time, instructions related to the development of chemical and biological weapons have continued to circulate in online terrorist communities. The report cited an example from February, when ISIL (Da’esh)’s English-language Invade magazine published instructions related to the development of botulinum toxin and cyanide. The disclosure highlights the continuing threat posed by the online spread of information that can assist terrorist groups in developing dangerous weapons.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also made significant progress in the investigation into the Red Fort blast. The agency filed a 7,500-page chargesheet against 10 accused in connection with the explosion near the Red Fort on November 10, 2025. The chargesheet named individuals linked to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), a designated offshoot of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent.

During its investigation, the NIA found evidence indicating that some of the accused had been radicalised and were involved in efforts to revive the AGuH network. Among those linked to the case were medical professionals. Investigators found that the accused were allegedly working to rebuild the terror network and expand its activities.

The investigation also found that the blast involved Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), a highly volatile explosive. According to the probe agency, the accused allegedly manufactured the explosive after secretly obtaining the required chemicals. They also reportedly conducted repeated experiments while preparing the material.

The terror module’s activities were not confined to Delhi. The NIA’s investigation indicated that its members were preparing to expand their network to other major parts of India. This suggests that the group had plans that went beyond carrying out a single attack in the national capital.

AQIS and its affiliates were notified as a terrorist organisation by the Union Home Ministry in 2018. The latest UN assessment, along with the findings of the NIA investigation, points to the continued threat posed by the group and its affiliated networks. The use of smaller cells, financial and logistical networks, online propaganda and efforts to expand into neighbouring countries remain key concerns for counter-terrorism agencies.