NEW DELHI: The sharp rise in recoveries of hand grenades, rockets and bomb material in 2026 has prompted security agencies to examine whether cross-border weapons trafficking networks are moving beyond conventional arms by increasingly attempting to smuggle compact, high-impact weapons into India.
According to sources in the security establishment, the data shows that 209 hand grenades were recovered in the first seven months of 2026, compared with 185 during the whole of 2025. The increase is even more pronounced in the recovery of rocket and bomb material, which rose from 139 in 2025 to 243 by July 2026. The figure is also substantially higher than the 113 recoveries recorded in 2024 and 16 in 2023.
The sources said, the pattern has drawn attention to the possibility that weapons are being moved across the India-Pakistan border for further distribution through clandestine networks.
“Security concerns are being examining whether such networks are adapting their methods, potentially involving drones, couriers, concealed caches and local facilitators,” a source said.
Recoveries of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) present a mixed picture. IED recoveries stood at 93 in 2023, which fell to 49 in 2024 and rose to 114 in 2025, but then it dropped to 56 through July 31, 2026.
The volume of explosive material recovered, however, has remained significant, as recoveries increased from 7.77 kg in 2023 to 11.815 kg in 2024 and 25.815 kg in 2025, the sources said, adding that by July 2026, agencies had already recovered 25.075 kg, which is nearly the entire amount seized during all of 2025.
“The figures do not, by themselves, establish an imminent threat or demonstrate that all recoveries form part of a single network. Increased seizures can also reflect improved intelligence, surveillance and the disruption of trafficking channels,” the source said.
Agencies, it is learnt, are therefore examining whether the 2026 figures represent isolated consignments or evidence of a broader pipeline in which weapons and explosive material are accumulated, concealed and distributed before potential use.
Investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into cross-border arms, ammunition and IED networks provide further context, as it has previously investigated cases involving alleged Pakistan-based handlers, Indian associates and the movement of weapons and explosive devices through clandestine channels.
The simultaneous rise in grenade and rocket/bomb recoveries is nevertheless drawing particular scrutiny by security agencies because the weapons offer capabilities distinct from conventional small arms
