Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is reportedly attempting to expand its spy network in India by roping in 300 to 400 social media influencers, marking a significant shift from its earlier tactics of honeytrapping and blackmail.
The recent arrest of Haryana-based YouTuber Wasim Akram, following the detention of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra and others, has highlighted the growing use of influencers in ISI’s propaganda machinery. Officials say the influencers are being lured not just with money but with a combination of financial incentives, free travel, and the promise of higher views and engagement on their platforms.
According to Intelligence Bureau sources, the ISI has set up a dedicated team in Pakistan to identify vulnerable influencers with large followings. Once shortlisted, their details are allegedly passed to the Pakistan High Commission in India, which then establishes contact. Influencers are invited to gatherings, offered sponsored trips to Pakistan, and persuaded to create videos praising the country’s culture, cuisine, and heritage.
While the content may not be overtly anti-India, officials warn it serves as pro-Pakistan propaganda, widely circulated across Pakistan and among the diaspora. For instance, Malhotra had 381,000 subscribers at the time of her arrest, while Jasbir Singh, another accused influencer, had 1.1 million followers—giving ISI’s narrative significant reach.
Investigators say once influencers accept payments, the ISI escalates demands, using initial content as leverage to coerce them into gathering intelligence, including details about Indian military movements and cantonments. Such cases surfaced during “Operation Sindoor,” when influencers were found passing on sensitive real-time information.
Security agencies have raised concerns over the lack of scrutiny influencers face compared to traditional suspects. With their wide reach and easy access under the guise of content creation, they pose a unique challenge to counter-intelligence efforts.
Officials maintain that while propaganda remains ISI’s primary goal, the long-term risks of exploiting India’s influencer ecosystem for espionage cannot be underestimated.
