Afghan hackers breach Indian media network, air political message rejecting Taliban-India ties

Hackers claiming to be from Afghanistan targeted an Indian media outlet, briefly taking control of its broadcast to air a political message rejecting any ties between the Afghan Taliban and India.

According to reports, the network affected was OneIndia, where normal programming was disrupted and replaced with unusual on-screen messages.

The media group is said to have a significant digital presence, with more than 30 million followers across its social media platforms.

Responsibility for the cyberattack was claimed by a group identifying itself as “True Muslim Afghans”. During the breach, the group reportedly displayed what it described as the original Afghan flag and broadcast messages condemning any perceived relationship between the Taliban and India.

Reports indicate that the hackers used the compromised broadcasting platform to deliver their political messaging in a direct and highly visible manner.

Analysts suggest the incident goes beyond a conventional cyberattack, framing it instead as an example of geopolitical signalling through digital means.

Following the breach, concerns have been raised about the credibility and security of the affected network, while the incident has also brought renewed attention to the evolving dynamics involving India, the Taliban, and broader Afghan affairs.