9/20/2015 Bharat:AnUntoldStory#RAW#SpecialOperations#CITX#PakistanPart1...

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9/20/2015 Bharat:AnUntoldStory#RAW#SpecialOperations#CITX#PakistanPart1...

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Part1Forthefirstdecadesafterindependence,Indiascovertcapabilitieswereinthemaindefensive.Bycontrast,PakistansIntelligenceBureauledbyQurbanAli,theseniormostIndianofficerofitscolonialpredecessorsponsoredaseriesofoffensiveoperationsinJammuandKashmir.InlinewithimperialideologueslikeGeneralFrancisTucker,Mr.AlibelievedthatIndiasethnicreligiousfaultlinesmadeitunsustainableasanation.MuchofthePakistanIntelligenceBureausworkwasandisaimedatdeepeningthesefaultlines.

Indiasowncovertcapabilitiesonlybegantogrowafterits1962defeatbyChina.AidedbytheUnitedStates,thenewlyfoundedResearchandAnalysisWingdevelopedsophisticatedsignalsintelligenceandphotoreconnaissancecapabilities.

RAWsoonputthelessonsitlearnedtouseagainstPakistan.AccordingtothestillclassifiedofficialhistoryoftheBangladeshwarrecordsthat,byNovember1971,over83,000guerrillasofwhomover51,000wereoperatingineastPakistanhadbeentrainedandarmedbyIndia.Establishment22aforcesetupbytheCIAtotargetChinacarriedoutdeeppenetrationstrikesagainstPakistanipriortotheonsetofwar,drawingthemforwardtotheBangladeshborderandthuseasingthewayforIndiaseventualthrusttoDhaka.

Indiasdecisivetriumphin1971seemedtohaverenderedtheneedforanoffensivecovertcapabilityagainstthatcountryredundant.IndiawithdrewsupportforBalochguerrillasfightingthePakistanarmy,andslasheditsinvolvementwithantiIslamabadforcesinAfghanistan.

Butthewheelturnedagain,aswheelsarewonttodo.AftertheSovietUnionsinterventioninAfghanistan,theregimeofGeneralZiaulHaqacquiredboththestrategicinfluenceandmilitaryresourcesneededtoinsulateitselfagainstIndiassuperiorconventionalmilitarycapabilities.

Pakistansinformalwarresumed.Bythemid1980s,theISIhadinitiatedsuppliesofAfghanwarsurplusmilitaryhardwaretoKhalistanterroristsinPunjab.Fiveyearslater,similarsupportwasmadeavailabletojihadgroupsinJammuandKashmir.Ontwooccasions,in1987and1990,Indiathreatenedtogotowarinretaliationbothtimes,thethreatofapotentiallycatastrophicwardeterreditspoliticians.

Interesting,RAWandtheISIplayedaroleinensuringtheinformalwardidnotescalateintoafullblownone.Afterthe1987crisis,RAWchiefA.K.VermaandISIDirectorGeneralHamidGulmettodiscusslimitationsforPakistanssupportforKhalistangroups,anegotiationbrokeredbythethenJordanianCrownPrince,HasanbinTalal,whosewife,PrincessSarvath,isofPakistaniorigin.Later,inthewakeofthe1990crisis,theISIensuredthatjihadgroupsinJammuandKashmirdidnotgainaccesstoantiaircraftmissiles,afterIndiamadeclearthattheshootingdownofanaircraftwouldleadtoafullblownwar

PrimeMinisterRajivGandhisregimedidnot,however,restrictitselftosendingverbalsignalstoIslamabad.Inthemid1980s,RAWunleashedtwocovertgroups,CITXandCITJ,thefirsttargetingPakistaningeneralandtheseconddirectedatKhalistanigroups.AlowgradebutsteadycampaignofbombingsinmajorPakistanicities,notablyKarachiandLahore,followed.AccordingtoformerRAWofficialandsecurityanalystB.Raman,IndiascountercampaignyieldedresultsbymakingPakistansterrorcampaignprohibitivelycostly.

9/20/2015 Bharat:AnUntoldStory#RAW#SpecialOperations#CITX#PakistanPart1...

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Foravarietyofreasons,theseoperationsprovedshortlived.PrimeMinisterI.K.Gujral,whotookoverin1997,shutdownRAWsoffensiveoperationsonmoralgrounds,pointingtotheendoftheterroristcampaigninPunjabandtheimprovedsituationinJammuandKashmir.Earlier,PrimeMinisterP.V.NarasimhaRaoendedRAWseasternoperationsearlieraspartofhiseffortstobuildbridgeswithChinaandMyanmar.

Successivecovertservicesheadsattemptedtogainfreshauthorisationfordeterrentcovertoperations,butwithoutsuccess.Afterthe1999Kargilwar,keyintelligenceofficersattemptedtopersuadePrimeMinisterAtalBihariVajpayeetoissuethenecessaryauthorisations.Hedidntsayaword,recallsoneofficialpresentatthemeeting,notyes,notno.

#R&AW#India#Pakistan#ISI#CITX

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