New Delhi: The November 2025 terror blast near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed 15 people has been linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), according to a United Nations Security Council assessment on terrorist organisations and their activities.
The attack took place on November 10, 2025, amid a major investigation into an explosives network operating in the region. Authorities had earlier recovered around 2,900 kg of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate, from Faridabad in neighbouring Haryana.
The UN assessment said AQIS has continued to transform from a fragmented organisation into a regional terrorist network. Rather than relying on large, centralised groups, the organisation has increasingly focused on building smaller and separate cells that can operate independently. The group has also developed logistical and financial networks to support its activities.
The report raised particular concerns over Bangladesh, warning that AQIS could seek to exploit the country to establish new terrorist cells. The assessment comes amid wider concerns over the expansion of extremist networks across South Asia.
The UN also highlighted the continuing interest of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates in acquiring capabilities related to chemical and biological weapons. While technical barriers have limited their ability to develop such weapons, terrorist networks have circulated instructions for producing toxic substances through online channels.
In the Red Fort case, the National Investigation Agency filed a 7,500-page chargesheet against 10 accused. Investigators linked the accused to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an AQIS affiliate, and alleged that some members had been radicalised while working to revive the organisation’s network.
The investigation also found that the explosives used in the attack were allegedly prepared using chemicals that were secretly procured and tested. Authorities have further alleged that the network was planning to expand its activities beyond Delhi into other parts of India.
AQIS and its affiliates have been designated as terrorist organisations in India since 2018.
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