India

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

NIA Cracks Down on Jaish-e-Mohammed Cell After Deadly Red Fort Car Bombing

Dec. 11, 2025 | Non-Interstate Conflict & Security

The National Investigation Agency has intensified its crackdown on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror cell following the November 10 car bomb attack near Delhi’s Red Fort.

**The NIA arrested Dr.**
Bilal Naseer Malla from Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, as the eighth suspect in the attack that killed 15 people and injured several others. Charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he provided shelter and logistical support to the suicide bomber and destroyed evidence linked to the conspiracy.

**Investigators say that Dr.**
Bilal harboured Dr. Umar Un Nabi—a native of Jammu and Kashmir and former employee at Faridabad’s Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences & Research Centre—before the bombing. They allege he helped conceal materials that would have tied the plot back to its handlers.

**The probe focuses on a Jaish-e-Mohammed module recruiting radicalised professionals, particularly white-collar workers.**
Jammu and Kashmir Police first uncovered the network while investigating Jaish posters threatening security personnel in Srinagar’s Nowgam area. That inquiry led to the October 19 arrests of Arif Nisar Dar, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar, followed by the detention of a cleric known as “Mufti Sahab,” exposing the plot’s religious and ideological underpinnings.

**Before Dr.**
Bilal’s arrest, the NIA had already detained seven individuals: medical professionals Dr. Muzzamil Ganaie, Dr. Adeel Rather, and Dr. Shaheena Sayeed; religious preacher Maulvi Irfan; and two associates, Amir Rashid Ali and Jasir Bilal Wani (alias Danish). Investigators determined that Umar Un Nabi used Amir Rashid Ali’s identity to acquire the vehicle laden with explosives.

**Authorities also linked this terror module to a major cache of explosive material in Faridabad.**
Working with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police seized about 2,900 kilograms of volatile chemicals at Al Falah University shortly before the Red Fort bombing. On November 15, an accidental detonation of the recovered materials killed nine people, including forensic and police officials handling the evidence.

**Based on intelligence from these suspects, the NIA has carried out coordinated raids in multiple locations, including Mattan in Anantnag, southern Kashmir.**
It continues collaborating with central and state investigative agencies, along with the J&K State Investigation Agency in Srinagar, to map the full extent of the conspiracy and identify everyone involved in planning and executing the attack.

**Dr.**
Bilal Naseer Malla appeared before a court and was remanded to NIA custody for seven days. Investigators also secured a seven-day custody extension for Amir Rashid Ali as they build prosecutable cases against all members of the Jaish-linked network.

Supreme Court Clarifies Citizenship Application Under CAA and Electoral Roll Procedures

Dec. 11, 2025 | Governance & Law

India’s Supreme Court has delineated the procedures for acquiring citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and clarified the Election Commission’s role in electoral roll revisions.

**On December 9, 2025, the Supreme Court affirmed that religious minority migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh cannot automatically acquire Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.**
Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized that the Act grants only the right to apply for citizenship; it does not itself confer citizenship. He directed that each applicant prove minority status in the country of origin, establish legal residence in India, and document their status on entry. Authorities may grant citizenship only after verifying these statutory requirements.

**An NGO, Aatmadeep, challenged administrative delays in issuing citizenship certificates and protested the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of West Bengal’s electoral rolls.**
It argued that refusing to accept acknowledgment receipts for CAA applications and dragging out procedures risked rendering beneficiaries stateless and disenfranchised despite Parliament’s explicit protection of these groups. In response, the Court issued notices to the Election Commission of India, the Union Government, and the West Bengal State Election Commission, seeking explanations for procedural hurdles faced by CAA applicants. Further hearings the following week will examine how naturalization, once granted, could facilitate inclusion of these individuals in the electoral rolls, subject to verification and legal procedures.

**The Court also directed the Election Commission to justify why it exempted Assam voters from documentary proof requirements during the roll revision, while enforcing such proof in other states.**
Given Assam’s history of illegal migration from Bangladesh, the Bench demanded an explanation by December 16, 2025.

**In a separate public interest litigation over interim inclusion of CAA beneficiaries in West Bengal’s voter list, the Court ruled that voting rights cannot precede formal citizenship and refused to allow interim electoral participation.**
The Bench urged the government to expedite citizenship application scrutiny and indicated that the Attorney General or Solicitor General may assist at the next hearing on December 17, 2025.

**Clarifying the Election Commission’s role, the Court stated that determining citizenship status falls to the government or Foreigners Tribunals, not to the Commission.**
However, the Commission may investigate cases of doubtful voter eligibility. The Court reaffirmed that constitutional citizenship remains the sole prerequisite for voting under the Representation of the People Act, distinct from statutory requirements of residence and age, and rejected arguments that a self-declaration and proof of residence suffice. It warned that without an inquisitorial function to verify citizenship, voter lists risk including illegal migrants.

Monitored Intelligence for India - Dec. 12, 2025

News
Media
193

Government
Releases
5

City/State
Releases
0

Embassy
Releases
7

Foreign
Service
Advisories
0

Academic/
Think
Tank
5

Podcasts
0

Videos
0

Social
Media
0

Business
Releases
0

Erudite Risk takes an all risks approach to intelligence reporting. We categorize key intelligence into one of 40 different risk intelligence categories.

The goal is to provide intelligence that allows decision makers to avoid being blindsided by what they may have missed, while informing them to make better decisions as well.

Risk Categories Reported on Today

Risk Category

Items Reported On

Regulation

Terrorism

Regulatory Enforcement Actions

Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Crime

Protest, Demonstration, Dissent

Accidents

Corporate Corruption or Fraud

Supply Chain Issues

Privacy

Critical Infrastructure Failure

Shifting Geopolitical Alliances

Political Scandal or Corruption

Pollution

Communal and Religious Strife

Erudite Risk also includes operations categories so you can monitor the environment for better decision making. Everything is tied together--what happens in risk affects operations and what happens in the market impacts risk profiles.

We categorize key intelligence into one of 30 different operations intelligence categories.

Different roles and functions within the organization can monitor different key issue areas. HR may monitor employment, wages, regulations, labor and management relations, etc., while P&L leaders may monitor overall developing trends.

Operations Categories Reported on Today

Operations Category

Items Reported On

Asset Price Change

Financial System Problems

Trade Issues and Numbers

Operating Results

Supply Chain Issues

Legal Exposure

Bizdev-Partnering

Initiative

Inflation

Wages and Compensation

Political Policy Resistance

Energy Prices

Politics and Elections

Mergers & Acquisitions

Economic Growth

Investor Sentiment

Tech Development/Adoption

India and Morocco: Towards Deepening Defence Cooperation

Vivekananda International Foundation | English | AcademicThink | Dec. 12, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

India and Morocco are strengthening their defence cooperation, marked by a series of high-level visits in 2025. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Morocco in September, during which he and Morocco’s Defence Minister Abdel Loudiyi inaugurated India’s first overseas defence manufacturing facility built by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in Berrechid. They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focusing on intensifying defence industry collaboration and cooperation in counter-terrorism, maritime security, cyber security, and peacekeeping. Subsequently, Indian and Moroccan officials engaged in visits underscoring growing political, economic, and defence ties, including the visit of Morocco's Rear Admiral Mohamad Tahin to India emphasizing maritime partnership.

The newly inaugurated TASL facility will produce the indigenously developed 8x8 Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) for the Royal Moroccan Army, with a contract to deliver 150 vehicles over three years. The WhAP, designed in collaboration with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has demonstrated performance in diverse terrains such as the Ladakh region in India and Moroccan deserts. This manufacturing partnership supports India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) initiative and contributes to Morocco’s ambitions to develop a domestic defence industrial hub. Previously, Morocco had relied on the U.S., Israel, and China for arms procurement but has increasingly turned to India as it modernizes its military.

Bilateral defence cooperation already includes training, arms procurement, joint exercises, and steady high-level exchanges. Indian defence delegations visited Morocco in 2024 and 2025 to explore further collaboration, while Moroccan military leaders attended defence forums in India. The opening of a dedicated defence wing at the Indian mission in Rabat will facilitate deeper ties. Both countries share maritime interests along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, promoting enhanced naval security collaboration.

India’s defence industry’s presence in Morocco also serves as a strategic gateway for expanding defence cooperation with the broader African continent. India has been engaging African nations through initiatives like the India Africa Defence Dialogue, multilateral naval exercises, and field training exercises. Despite stiff competition in the African arms market dominated by Russia, China, the U.S., and Europe, there is growing demand for diversified suppliers. India’s expertise in maintaining Russian-origin equipment presents opportunities for establishing Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in Africa, exemplified by a recent Hindustan Aeronautics Limited contract with Uganda.

In summary, India-Morocco defence ties are entering a new phase highlighted by manufacturing collaboration, high-level agreements, and expanding strategic engagement. This partnership not only strengthens bilateral relations but also positions India to enhance its defence footprint across Africa, aligning with its broader South-South cooperation objectives.

SBI, BoB get RBI nod to set up fraud detection platform

Hindu Business Line | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Corporate Corruption or Fraud

State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB) have received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to establish a new company called the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC). This entity will be set up as a Section 8 company, which is a non-profit organization under the Companies Act, 2013.

The primary purpose of IDPIC is to develop a "Digital Payments Intelligence Platform" aimed at detecting and preventing fraudulent digital transactions specifically in public sector banks. The approval includes an exemption from the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, allowing the banks to hold more than 30 percent of the paid-up share capital in the company until October 16, 2026, despite the typical restrictions under Section 19(2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

AI’s gold rush isn’t about inventing, it’s about adopting, Nadella says as Microsoft bets $17.5B on India

The Economic Times | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized that in the global AI race, the key to success lies not in inventing the most technology but in rapidly adopting it to drive new breakthroughs. Speaking in New Delhi after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadella highlighted India’s unique position to accelerate in the AI era, praising its alignment of policy, private-sector participation, and digital public infrastructure.

Microsoft announced a $17.5 billion investment in India, the company’s largest-ever commitment in Asia, to be deployed between 2026 and 2029. This investment supplements $3 billion announced earlier in 2025 and surpasses the $15 billion Vizag AI hub led by Google, the Adani Group, and Airtel. Nadella’s remarks underscore a shift in focus for India from discussing AI’s potential to achieving measurable nationwide impact in areas like citizen services, small-business competitiveness, and public-sector efficiency.

Nadella cited historical technological trends to argue that countries and companies that adopt cutting-edge technology fastest go on to create further innovation. He praised India’s "virtuous cycle" of policies, programs, technology, and market dynamics, noting the importance of integrated digital frameworks like the India stack, which, according to him, must be utilized as a whole rather than in isolated parts to be effective.

Try the Daily Briefing

Try the Daily Briefing for your country of choice for two weeks--free of charge and with no obligation.

Have a service or subscription question? We'd be happy to hear from you.

How can we help?

Full Name:

Email Address:

Type of Inquiry:

Country of Interest:

Contact us for a free trial of the Daily Briefing for your country of choice.

We currently cover:

South Korea
Japan
China
Taiwan
Vietnam
India

info@eruditerisk.com

The Daily Briefing is delivered Monday through Thursday via email.

Each day's reports include a combination of:

Takes
Takes are our deep dives into a topic of enduring interest or concern. Takes include copious references to all the media resources we gathered to build them.

Developments
Developments are key issues and incidents being heavily reported on in country. These are the centers of local thought gravity around which everything else revolves.

Risk Media
Summaries and analysis of the most important risk issues reported on in media, arranged by risk category. Learn about risk trends and issues while they are developing--before they blow up.

Ops Media
Summaries and analysis of the most important operational issues reported on in media, arranged by operations category. See what's changing in your market, and what's not.

Government Releases
Government press and data releases on key economic data, regulation, law, intiatives, incidents. Straight from the government's press to your eyes in less than a day.

Embassy and Business Association Releases
Statements and news releases from foreign embassies and business/industry associations, including chambers of commerce.

The Daily Briefing is comprehensive!

The Daily Briefing can run 50-100 pages each day!

Luckily, Erudite Risk tailors every report specifically to you.

Content Filtering
We try hard to ensure that every piece of information included in each day's reports will be of interest to our readers.

To fulfill our goal of comprehensively monitoring the intelligence landscape and also keeping reports readable, we build big reports--then deliver only the information that applies to you.

Each Daily Briefing is a bespoke report matched to your concerns. Tell us what you want in it, or we can match it to your professional needs. It's that easy.