Pakistan- India: issues
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1980: CIA thought Indira wanted to bomb Pakistan’s N facilities
The Times of India, Sep 01 2015
Indira wanted to nip Pak's nuclear dreams in the bud
India was cognizant of the threat from Pakistan's nuclear weapons program and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi may have considered eliminating it when she returned to office in 1980 long before it neared fruition, a CIA assessment from that era has revealed. The CIA report, declassified in June 2015 and first reported by PTI, says Mrs Gandhi considered the option follow ing the pros pect of the US providing F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, giving Islamabad the possible means to deliv er nuclear weapons.
“In the extreme case, if Indian concerns increase over the next two or three months, we believe the conditions could be ripe for a decision by Prime Minister Gandhi to instigate a military confrontation with Pakistan, primarily to pro vide a framework for destroying Pakistan's nuclear facilities,“ says a redacted version of the 12page document that was declassified this year. The report also says Mrs Gandhi was ready to order a resumption of nuclear tests.
P M Gandhi probably has not made a decision to exercise a military option against Pakistan. In the extreme case, if India's concern about deliveries of F-16s to Pakistan increases before the optimum time for exercising the military option (in October or November according to one report), the conditions could be ripe for Prime Minister Gandhi to carry out the contingency strike plan,“ the largely speculative assessment added.
According to the report, as Pakistan was in an advanced stage of producing plutonium and highly-enriched uranium for use in nuclear weapons, Gandhi evidently responded to the threat by authorizing Indian nuclear test preparations.
“In February (1981), exca vation was begun in the Thar desert to permit the under ground explosion of an Indi an test device on short no tice,“ the CIA said, adding that in May preparations had been completed by India for a 40-kiloton nuclear test. The CIA said India reportedly was to explode the device about one week after the expected Pakistani test. “Evidently, the Indian government calculated that a Pakistani nuclear explosion per se would not constitute a na tional security threat, and that the damage to India's image of pre-eminence in the region could be minimised by a resumption of the peace ful nuclear explosive (PNE) program,“ the CIA said.
Both assessments, largely in the speculative realm given lack of affirmation from New Delhi, redefines some of the known discourse on the subject.
Previous accounts have suggested Mrs Gandhi may have had the option of elimi nating Pakistan's nuclear programme with Israeli help as late as 1984. Some reports have said Israel approached New Delhi with the offer to bomb Pakistan's main nuclear facility at Kahuta if India offered its jets re fueling assurance, but India demurred.
Pakistan's runaway nu clear program has now racked up more than 120 nu clear weapons in an unstable toxic country wracked by ethnic and sectarian hatred.
Pakistani spy modules overstaying in India
December 10, 2014
The home ministry said Pakistan's ISI had been indulging in espionage activities in India, and that 33 espionage modules backed by the neighbouring country had been busted over the past three years. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, minister of state for home affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary said as many as 50 espionage agents, including some ex-babus of Indian government, had been arrested as part of the crackdown on Pakistan-backed modules.
“Pakistan intelligence agencies, particularly the Pakistan ISI, has come to notice for conducting espionage activities in the country... during the period from January 2011 to November 2013, 33 Pakistan-backed espionage modules were neutralized in India, resulting in the arrest of 50 espionage agents, including some retired Indian government officials,“ Chaudhary said.
Pakistani spies in India
Dec 24 2014
Four men in forces spying for Pak caught in last 2 yrs
Four armed forces personnel have been arrested in recent times for spying for Pakistan, government told Parliament. One of the accused was dismissed from service later.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar told Rajya Sabha that three personnel were nabbed just this year while one was arrested in 2012. “Appropriate action has been taken against the accused as per law and laid down procedure in this regard. One accused has been dismissed from service. Other cases are at different stages in civilmilitary courts,” he said.
To a question on what action the government has proposed to take to prevent such cases, the Minister said that armed forces have counter intelligence set up in place to prevent such espionage cases. He said advisories have also been issued to sensitize and educate armed force personnel and institute appropriate mechanism to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Meanwhile, the government told Lok Sabha that six people have been arrested this year for indulging in espionage for Pakistan in India. Among those nabbed, five are Indians and one is a Sri Lankan national.
“During the current year-2014 (till December 17), six Pak espionage modules have been neutralized in the country resulting in the arrest of six persons along with information and documents relating to various establishments in the country. Out of these six accused, five are Indian and one is a Sri Lankan national,” Minister of state for home, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply.
He said the government is pursuing a well coordinated approach to tackle spying in the country which include strengthening vigilance on the borders to check infiltration, close interaction and coordination between different agencies, strengthening of state police and forces.
Infiltration along Indo-Pak border: Jan-July 2015
