Pakistan's K-2 Strategy: Foreign Networks Manipulate Protests in India

Indian intelligence and cyber-security officials are expressing growing alarm over the orchestrated efforts by overseas bot networks, disinformation agents linked to Pakistan, and Khalistani extremist factions that aim to exploit domestic protests and sway young Indians through digital platforms. The intelligence reports obtained by CNN-News18 indicate that these networks do not typically initiate protests from the ground up. Rather, they strategically infiltrate movements that already resonate with genuine local grievances, including issues related to agriculture, labor disputes, unemployment, and youth mobilization, gradually altering the online narrative to align with their agendas.

This modus operandi aligns with what security agencies refer to as Pakistan's longstanding 'K2 strategy.' This term encapsulates the effort to intertwine the Kashmir and Khalistan issues, leveraging internal democratic fissures for hostile propaganda initiatives. The alleged network comprises operatives based in Pakistan who collaborate with Khalistani fronts situated in North America and Europe. Their primary goal, as outlined by intelligence agencies, is to shift policy-driven demands into a broader anti-state or secessionist discourse, thereby undermining the Indian state.