• Source:JND
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Operation Mahadev: In a major breakthrough under Operation Mahadev, Indian security forces eliminated three heavily armed Pakistani terrorists in a high-risk operation carried out in the Harwan–Dachigam forests along Srinagar on July 28, 2025. One of the weapons seized was an M4 Carbine assault rifle made in the US, which raised the issue again of the presence of advanced Western weapons with insurgents in Jammu and Kashmir. Two AK-47 assault rifles and 17 hand grenades were recovered at the site of the encounter, suggesting that the outfit was prepared to carry out a major attack.

Three terrorists were involved in the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians, including children and women, were killed. The home minister confirmed the terrorists killed in the Operation Mahadev have been identified as Suleiman, Afghan, and Jibran. "In the Operation Mahadev, Suleiman alias Faizal..., Afghan, and Jibran, these three terrorists were killed, and Suleiman was an A-Category commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Afghan was also an A-Category Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist. And Jibran was an A-grade terrorist. All three terrorists who killed our citizens in the Baisaran valley have been eliminated," he asserted. 

Recovery of M4 Carbine Rattles Alarm Over Western Arms In South Asia

The M4 Carbine, a modular and light rifle that was initially developed for the US military, has been rising up more and more in war zones all over Jammu and Kashmir. Its recovery in this recent incident is part of an expanding list of similar seizures all over the region over the past few years. A large stockpile of American military equipment reportedly fell into Taliban hands following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, and part of that arsenal have since made their way into Pakistan through illegal arms markets. From there, established smuggling networks transport such weapons across the Line of Control (LoC) into Indian territory along with trained militants. Illegal routes of smuggling via Kupwara, Rajouri, and Poonch sectors are allegedly still active, besides drones and clandestine hideouts being utilized to transport arms across the LoC.

One of the main reasons behind insurgent militants adopting the M4 Carbine is its better mobility in hilly terrain. With respect to heavier weapons such as the AK-103 or Indian INSAS, the lighter weight of the M4 enables fighters to carry additional ammunition and become more agile on steep and wooded inclines. In close-quarters battle situations, for example, those in heavy jungles, caves, or narrow mountain gorges, the M4's folding stock and short barrel offer a tactical advantage. These give greater mobility and facilitate easy movement in confined spaces, making the weapon eminently suitable for asymmetric warfare in Kashmir's hilly terrain.

Tactical Benefits: High Rate Of Fire And Flexibility 

The M4’s selective fire mode, offering both semi-automatic and burst fire, gives fighters the ability to respond quickly to sudden ambushes, a frequent occurrence in Kashmir’s volatile terrain. Unlike submachine guns, the M4 is effective at mid-range distances (up to 500–600 metres), allowing combatants to engage both short and medium-range targets with deadly accuracy. Moreover, the modular design of the rifle accommodates high-level optics, night vision scopes, laser aim points, and under-barrel attachments such as grenade launchers, which make the rifle extremely adaptable. All these are a force multiplier in Kashmir, where conditions of weather and terrain regularly obscure visibility by fog, snow, or dense cover.

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This is not the first incident of its kind. In recent years, security agencies have seized several US-made M4 carbines and other Western arms from killed terrorists in the Kashmir Valley. The number of such seizures highlights a changing threat, where better-equipped insurgents are being sent to counter the Indian Army's modernized infantry weapons such as the SIG716i and Tavor rifles. The emergence of such weapons is a cause of concern for national security and border control. An immediate necessity is for improved border monitoring, more effective drone detection mechanisms, and greater global cooperation to monitor arms flows across collapsed states and war-torn regions. Indian agencies are also looking for coordinated monitoring of weapon serial numbers and trafficking channels, perhaps through cooperation with US agencies.

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The success of Operation Mahadev is a tactical success, killing three of the country's most wanted terrorists. But the recovery of advanced US-made weaponry from the site of the encounter is a strategic issue that cannot be discounted. It calls for a reorientation of India's counter-insurgency strategy, focusing once more on arms tracking, border fencing, and global cooperation against terror funding and arms smuggling.