New Delhi, October 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Al-Qaeda has reportedly sought to revive the legacy of its slain founder Osama bin Laden and consolidate its fragmented leadership, with intelligence inputs indicating a renewed emphasis on what the terror outfit describes as the “vanguard doctrine” for its activities in India.
On the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, Al-Qaeda released a video featuring Hamza bin Laden, the son of the former terror chief. The release was seen as a possible attempt to revive the Bin Laden legacy, strengthen the organisation’s identity and bring its multiple command centres under a more unified leadership structure.
Intelligence agencies across the world are monitoring the group’s activities amid assessments suggesting a gradual resurgence of the terror network.
An Intelligence Bureau official said Al-Qaeda initially focused on confronting the United States and European countries but eventually recognised the limitations of directly challenging major powers.
When the organisation established Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), it declared its intention to target the Indian government. However, the official said the group subsequently reassessed its strategy after recognising the difficulty of confronting the Indian state directly.
“In recent communications, Al-Qaeda through its various communication channels has been propagating heavily for the revival of the vanguard doctrine,” the official said.
According to the official, the renewed emphasis on this doctrine suggests a possible shift away from direct confrontation with Indian security forces towards high-profile attacks intended to generate widespread impact, drawing comparisons with the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Officials have also expressed concern that Al-Qaeda may seek to provoke tensions between India and Islamic countries. Such a strategy, they believe, could help the group exploit public sentiment, expand its local reach and promote radicalisation.
Another official said the group could attempt to capitalise on protests and unrest in different parts of the world, including India, to advance its propaganda.
“The outfit would use its media channels to spread disinformation, promote its violent ideology and circulate propaganda. The aim is to incite people and gradually draw them into the radicalisation process,” the official said.
The official traced the doctrine to Al-Qaeda’s original strategy, developed in the late 1990s. In 1998, the organisation used the term al-Qaeda al-Sulbah, meaning “The Solid Base”, to describe the concept associated with its vanguard doctrine.
The strategy involved taking localised grievances and presenting them as part of wider international campaigns framed around religious identity. According to the official, the group seeks to attach a religious interpretation to local issues to expand their reach and turn them into broader causes.
Counter-terrorism experts said Osama bin Laden had built Al-Qaeda around the vanguard doctrine. Following his death, the organisation gradually shifted its operational focus towards confronting major powers, a strategy that ultimately failed to achieve its objectives, they said. The rise of the Islamic State also challenged Al-Qaeda’s influence and drew support away from the group in several regions.
Experts stressed the need for Indian security agencies to coordinate closely with international counterparts and monitor developments within Al-Qaeda.
“The progress is slow, and the outfit is taking its time. On the surface, it would appear as though the outfit is in retreat mode. However, there is a dangerous undercurrent whereby the outfit is playing a big game which would eventually have a devastating effect on society,” the experts warned.
For its activities targeting India, Al-Qaeda is expected to focus on sensitive issues, particularly in the northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir, an official said. The group could seek to exploit even small protests by framing them in religious terms and attempting to turn local grievances into international campaigns.
Security agencies are continuing to monitor the organisation’s communications and activities amid concerns that its evolving propaganda strategy could contribute to radicalisation and further security challenges.
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