India’s UAPA List Draws Attention After FBI Action Against Goldy Brar
India’s statutory list of individuals designated as terrorists has come into renewed focus following a major development in the United States involving Satinderjit Singh, also known as Goldy Brar.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ list of individual terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, places Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar at serial number 1, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed at No. 2, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi at No. 3 and Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar at No. 4. Goldy Brar appears at No. 56.
The numbers should not, however, be interpreted as a government ranking based on threat level or importance. The MHA presents the names as individuals designated as terrorists under Section 35 of the UAPA and listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Act.
A Hindustan Times report published on September 29 highlighted 10 prominent individuals from the Indian list and drew attention to Brar’s position at serial number 56.
Why Goldy Brar Is Back in Focus
The immediate reason for the renewed attention is action taken by US authorities.
On September 28, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that Brar had been added to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. The FBI identified him as the 543rd person to be placed on the programme since it was established.
US authorities have offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest.
According to the FBI, Brar is wanted over alleged involvement with the Lawrence Bishnoi Organized Crime Group. US authorities have charged him with offences including RICO conspiracy, conspiracy involving extortion and conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute. These remain allegations, and criminal charges do not by themselves constitute a conviction.
The FBI says Brar is based in the United States and describes him as an alleged leader of the organisation in North America.
Who Appears at the Beginning of India’s UAPA List?
The MHA list begins with several figures who have long featured in Indian and international counter-terrorism cases.
Masood Azhar occupies the first serial position. The United Nations Security Council added Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi to its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions list in May 2019. The UN identifies him as the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar appears at serial number 4 on the Indian list. He is also listed under the UN Security Council’s ISIL and Al-Qaida sanctions regime. According to the UN’s listing summary, Dawood was added to that sanctions list in November 2003.
India formally declared Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Dawood Ibrahim as individual terrorists under the UAPA in September 2019.
What Does Goldy Brar’s No. 56 Position Actually Mean?
Goldy Brar’s appearance at serial number 56 should be understood in the context of how the UAPA list is structured.
The Ministry of Home Affairs publishes the names of individuals designated as terrorists under Section 35 of the UAPA in the Fourth Schedule. Therefore, No. 56 identifies Brar’s serial position on that statutory list; it does not establish that the government considers 55 individuals more dangerous than him.
This distinction matters because describing the document simply as a numbered “most-wanted ranking” can create a misleading impression about how the government assesses individual threats.
Two Different Lists, Two Different Purposes
India’s UAPA list and the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives programme serve different legal and operational purposes.
India’s list records individuals formally designated as terrorists under domestic anti-terror legislation. The FBI’s Top Ten programme, by contrast, is designed to generate public attention that could help authorities locate and arrest particularly significant fugitives.
The FBI says candidates for its programme are assessed partly on the seriousness of their alleged criminal record or perceived danger and on whether nationwide publicity could assist in their apprehension.
Brar’s appearance on both systems therefore reflects actions taken under two separate legal and law-enforcement frameworks rather than equivalent rankings.
Why the Development Matters
The FBI decision significantly increases international visibility around the effort to locate Brar.
His inclusion on the US Top Ten list means the case will receive extensive publicity through FBI platforms, while the reward of up to $1 million is intended to encourage information that could assist investigators.
More broadly, the development illustrates how investigations involving organised crime, alleged terrorism, extortion, narcotics trafficking and targeted violence increasingly cross national borders.
For Indian readers, it also highlights an important distinction: inclusion in the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA is a statutory terrorist designation, whereas inclusion on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list is an American fugitive-apprehension measure. The two should not be treated as interchangeable.
