India balked at Israel's plans to do to Pakistan what it has done to Iran
How - and why - India balked at Israel's plans to do to Pakistan what it has done to Iran
Chidanand Rajghatta
TNN
Jun 14, 2025, 18:16 IST IST
Assessing and possibly admiring Israel's strike against Iran aimed at denuclearising the country, hawks in the New Delhi establishment would be reflecting with some regret of a time in the early 1980s when Israel offered India plans for a similar operation to take out Islamabad's then incipient nuclear program. Peaceniks would be relieved it did not come to that.
According to accounts from that time, related most notably in Deception: Pakistan, the US, and the Global Weapons Conspiracy by Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark, Israel proposed a joint operation to destroy Pakistan's nuclear capabilities, particularly the Kahuta nuclear facility, motivated by concerns over the development of what was termed the "Islamic bomb."
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Time of India
2 hours ago
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Pakistan's new game to regain strategic depth
Lt General KJ Singh superannuated in August 2016 after 39 years of distinguished service. He commanded the formidable Western Command, an operationally committed Corps in the North East having borders with four countries, an armoured division in the strike corps, a T-90 armoured brigade, and an elite armoured regiment, 63 Cavalry. He is currently holding the prestigious Ranjit Singh Chair of Excellence in the Panjab University, Chandigarh. LESS ... MORE Targets degraded by India during Operation Sindoor unmistakably highlighted Pakistan's vulnerability in terms of lack of geographical and strategic depth. At its broadest, the country is merely 450km in width, in addition to active insurgencies in its largest provinces, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hence, options for secure basing and defensive deployment are severely constrained. Yet, it has always displayed significant measure of resilience to retain relevance in the traditional arena of the great geo-strategic game, defined by confluence of conflicting civilizations — Islamic (Arabic, Persian and Turkic), Sinic, Slavic and Indian. Pak: Balancing expert As early as 1963, Pakistan gifted Shaksgam Valley to China and secured for itself an 'iron brother' relationship. In the Nixon-Kissinger era, it midwifed the courting of China by the US, which despite proving disastrous, still gives Pakistan, adequate balancing leverage in the US-China powerplay. It is indeed baffling to rationalise courting of Pakistan by both. US has thanked Pakistan for facilitating apprehension of Mohammed Sharifullah, the mastermind of Abbey Gate (Kabul Airport) suicidal attack on Aug 26, 2021, leading to death of 13 marines. This ISI ploy has been cashed many times, like how Pakistan vectored targeting of Al-Zawahiri in Kabul safehouse, on July 31, 2022. Field Marshal Asim Munir has been reportedly invited to US Army's 250th anniversary parade. US Army central command commander Gen Michael E Kurilla, while briefing Armed Services Committee, reportedly hailed Pakistan as a phenomenal partner in the fight against terror. It is indeed amazing to witness continued, sinister manipulation by Pindi (Rawalpindi) generals and incredulous naivety of US top brass. China, in Operation Sindoor, staked her reputation and standing in the arms market by providing Pakistan with platforms and munitions and seamless interoperability. It extended access to Beidou and other surveillance systems. The Chinese foreign minister orchestrated rapprochement between Pakistan and Taliban by roping in Afghanistan in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It has the ominous portents of Taliban taking on the role of protectors and guarantors of CPEC. Security has been the corridor's Achilles' heel, despite Pakistan raising two light divisions, expanding the Frontier Constabulary and maritime security. Mujahideen, who were once envisioned as pipeline police for Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) energy grid, may not be averse to becoming highway militia for CPEC. It would also reduce freedom of manoeuvre for Baloch and Pashtun insurgent groups. It could also revive Pakistan's long-term strategy of seeking strategic geographic depth in its western backyard. Taliban will earn protection money as 'bakhsheesh' (bribe), even as shifting loyalties are rampant in the region. The quieter Durand Line and Iran border could enable Pakistan to turn its focus and mischief potential eastward. The US may even want to use Pakistan to check Iran. Strategic depth: The dimensions Pakistan's quest for strategic depth, often dismissed as floundering, merits a more nuanced consideration. Analysis cannot be driven by anger and moralistic considerations. PM Zulifkar Ali Bhutto and General Zia-ul-Haq can be described as two critical catalysts in Pakistan's endeavours. Bhutto steered the Islamic bomb, which is projected as a collective security for 'Ummah' (Islamic brotherhood). Iran's foray for a separate 'Shia' bomb, now degraded with Israeli attacks, could have further reduced the salience of the much-touted Pak capability. While it is right to infer that India has reinforced space below the nuclear threshold, but a misguided and unsubstantiated narrative around Kirana Hill could well build sympathy for Pakistan in the Islamic block. It is imperative that this narrative is controlled, and India continues to be respected as a responsible nuclear power. Pakistan will certainly try and cobble at least a scaled-down version of a ballistic missile shield. It may resort to deeper and hardened tunnelling for basing and even for infiltration across LoC. No defence line or shield is impregnable, yet it will certainly pose more stringent challenges in the next round. China now has access to large amounts of data gathered in Operation Sindoor, which could be weaponised against us. Armies world over are committed to territorial frontiers and safeguarding them, but Gen Zia added 'ideological frontiers' as an additional commitment. The old motto 'Ittehad, Yaqeen, Tanzeem' (unity, faith, discipline) was jettisoned for 'Iman, Taqwa, Jihadfi-Sablillah' (faith, piety, struggle in the name of Allah). The Quranic concept of war became the new doctrine. The treatise is being misused to build a false notion of victory. Pakistan will certainly try and cobble at least a scaled-down version of a ballistic missile shield. It may resort to deeper and hardened tunnelling for basing and even for infiltration across LoC. No defence line or shield is impregnable, yet it will certainly pose more stringent challenges in the next round. China now has access to large amounts of data gathered in Operation Sindoor, which could be weaponised against us. Armies world over are committed to territorial frontiers and safeguarding them, but Gen Zia added 'ideological frontiers' as an additional commitment. The old motto 'Ittehad, Yaqeen, Tanzeem' (unity, faith, discipline) was jettisoned for 'Iman, Taqwa, Jihadfi-Sablillah' (faith, piety, struggle in the name of Allah). The Quranic concept of war became the new doctrine. The treatise is being misused to build a false notion of victory. In this conception, resilience and commitment to fight the next round defines victory. We have witnessed that Pakistan celebrated the 1965 aggression as Youm-e-Difa (day of defence), even when reactionary India had an upper hand. Pakistan also doesn't accept its defeat in the 1971 war, despite a humiliating defeat. India will have to be prepared to deal with terror. Pakistan, afflicted with a 'parity syndrome', utilised external balancing by joining the Central Treaty Organisation (Cento) and signing the Baghdad Pact in 1950s. Unlike India, it has perfected the art of being a useful lackey on demand. Today, besides China, it has forged a strategic Islamic alliance with Turkiye, Azerbaijan and Qatar. The drift towards Ankara was anchored by Imran Khan, even when India was steering Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations towards a more balanced posture. It is known that the economy in Pakistan is on ventilator, yet it has managed to establish a reasonable defence manufacturing eco-system. Pakistan is leveraging Chinese technology for producing tanks, aircraft and missiles. It has even supplied artillery shells to Ukraine. There are already reports of projected collaboration in mining rare earths and strategic minerals in Balochistan. In sum, while we prepare for the next round of conflict, it will be pertinent to go beyond the geographical depth and give the devil its due, like they say — forewarned is forearmed. (Author is former GOCin-C of Western Command, Indian Army) Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
India.com
3 hours ago
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The Third Eye: Envisioning India's National Security Policy
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What Pakistan did however, was to immediately think of replicating the success of Afghan Jehad in Kashmir and sent in the dreaded Harkat- ul -Ansar (HUA)-a mix of radical Islamic militants including elements of Taliban, to make what turned out to be a failed attempt to 'liberate' the valley. Faith-based terrorism is now a prime threat to the democratic world as a whole and it is good that both the US and Russia are against Islamic terror- the latter witnessed a terror attack on a concert hall in Moscow by ISIS-K, the competitor of Al Qaeda originating from Iraq-Syria region during the US-led 'war on terror'. The attack carried out in March 2024 by a group of four terrorists armed with automatic rifles resulted in the killing of 145 persons including many children and injuries to 500 others. Terrorism will remain a prime threat to India and our NSP rightly puts it on top of the security agenda. India's experience with Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War years was a mixed bag. India apparently tilted towards one side in the combative ideological battle of the two superpowers- between International Communism propounded by the Soviet Union and Capitalism with free market practised by the US leading the West. Post-Cold War, India has come on its own on the basis of 'mixed economy' and shown the way for geopolitically remaining aligned only with friends across the international community on the basis of a mutually beneficial relationship. That India is against all military conflicts and is committed to world peace, has been clearly stated by Prime Minister Modi as a policy approach and this should serve India well in the long term. This stand goes with a conscious effort to make India economically strong and self-sufficient in defence and it is a matter of great satisfaction that Prime Minister Modi was personally taking initiatives on both fronts. The policy of inviting foreign investment in the defence sector on the condition that technology will be shared and production in India will be encouraged, is to be treated as a part of our security mandate. Foreign policy of India favours bilateral friendships in a multipolar world order and this has enabled the country to appropriately respond to military conflicts witnessed in many parts of the world. India has to be prepared to deal with the two adversaries on its borders acting in concert against this country. India's national security policy has to reckon with the threat posed by the Sino-Pak axis- particularly in Kashmir as was evident during the post-Pahalgam military confrontation between India and Pakistan. Indo-US friendship can be sustained by the shared opposition to 'Islamic terrorism' and also by the American firm support to India against any hostile acts of China. It should be indicated by India that its active participation in the Quad needed to be reciprocated by the US in preventing any Chinese aggressiveness in the Indian Ocean. Trump administration must look upon the Pak-Afghan belt as a festering ground for Islamic terrorism and India must continue to educate the former on the situation there, Biden administration seemed to have been somewhat negligent towards this region. The US needs to be constantly reminded that Pakistan had cleverly tried to be in the good books of America while harbouring radical terrorist groups on its soil, despite the fact that Islamic radicals regarded US as their prime enemy. At the same time Pakistan had brought about a settlement between the Taliban Emirate and China. American policymakers should take notice of this. The evolution of national security policy of India should be regarded as a work in progress with continuity on some fundamental points of strategic interest of India and scope for tactical adjustments depending upon geopolitical shifts and the world's economic trends. The national security policy of India would not be complete without defining the nation's approach to safeguarding its internal security, integrity and unity. A vast diverse country like India has been vulnerable to conflicts rooted in caste, creed and region and needed a set of policies that upheld fundamental rights, freedom of citizens to visit and settle down in any part of the state and access to justice. Maintenance of law and order should be strong across the length and breadth of the country and since this was a state subject the Centre's right to take note of any gross failure of a state on that front, should be further strengthened. This has become even more important in these times when the adversary can remotely instigate internal trouble by activating its 'sleeper cells' through digital media. It is heartening to note that the Union Home Minister is already working for better coordination between the central agencies and state Police forces as part of the national security policy.
Hans India
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New Delhi: When Prime Minister Modi briefly addressed the nation in the wake of Operation Sindoor, on May 12, he laid down some postulates that could be deemed to be a part of the country's national security policy. Many strategic analysts had been advocating for a formal declaration of National Security Policy (NSP) little realising that the release of any of its details in public domain could benefit the opponent and also that such a policy might require revisiting because of the changes in geopolitical scenario affecting the international spectrum of friends and adversaries. Prime Minister Modi's statement that any further terror attack from Pakistan will be considered as an 'act of war' and responded to by our defence forces accordingly, certainly was an immutable part of our security doctrine that matched with India's call for 'zero tolerance towards terrorism of all kinds', made from all international platforms. We may attempt to visualise the lasting paradigms of foreign and internal policies that would constitute our NSP even when we choose not to release any such formal document. When the Cold War ended at the beginning of the 90s, countries -big and small -sensed relief from the tension that existed between the two superpowers and felt free to assert their place under the sun. It is no wonder therefore, that the post-Cold War era became an era of 'proxy wars' marked by a sudden rise in insurgencies, separatist movements and cross-border militancy- their number touching the figure of 200 according to some estimates. Meanwhile, Pakistan was given full credit by the US for the success of the anti-Soviet armed campaign- run on the war cry of Jehad- which caused the dismemberment of the USSR and ended the Cold War. What Pakistan did however, was to immediately think of replicating the success of Afghan Jehad in Kashmir and sent in the dreaded Harkat- ul -Ansar (HUA)-a mix of radical Islamic militants including elements of Taliban, to make what turned out to be a failed attempt to 'liberate' the valley. Faith-based terrorism is now a prime threat to the democratic world as a whole and it is good that both the US and Russia are against Islamic terror- the latter witnessed a terror attack on a concert hall in Moscow by ISIS-K, the competitor of Al Qaeda originating from Iraq-Syria region during the US-led 'war on terror'. The attack carried out in March 2024 by a group of four terrorists armed with automatic rifles resulted in the killing of 145 persons including many children and injuries to 500 others. Terrorism will remain a prime threat to India and our NSP rightly puts it on top of the security agenda. India's experience with Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War years was a mixed bag. India apparently tilted towards one side in the combative ideological battle of the two superpowers- between International Communism propounded by the Soviet Union and Capitalism with free market practised by the US leading the West. Post-Cold War, India has come on its own on the basis of 'mixed economy' and shown the way for geopolitically remaining aligned only with friends across the international community on the basis of a mutually beneficial relationship. That India is against all military conflicts and is committed to world peace, has been clearly stated by Prime Minister Modi as a policy approach and this should serve India well in the long term. This stand goes with a conscious effort to make India economically strong and self-sufficient in defence and it is a matter of great satisfaction that Prime Minister Modi was personally taking initiatives on both fronts. The policy of inviting foreign investment in the defence sector on the condition that technology will be shared and production in India will be encouraged, is to be treated as a part of our security mandate. Foreign policy of India favours bilateral friendships in a multipolar world order and this has enabled the country to appropriately respond to military conflicts witnessed in many parts of the world. India has to be prepared to deal with the two adversaries on its borders acting in concert against this country. India's national security policy has to reckon with the threat posed by the Sino-Pak axis- particularly in Kashmir as was evident during the post-Pahalgam military confrontation between India and Pakistan. Indo-US friendship can be sustained by the shared opposition to 'Islamic terrorism' and also by the American firm support to India against any hostile acts of China. It should be indicated by India that its active participation in the Quad needed to be reciprocated by the US in preventing any Chinese aggressiveness in the Indian Ocean. Trump administration must look upon the Pak-Afghan belt as a festering ground for Islamic terrorism and India must continue to educate the former on the situation there, Biden administration seemed to have been somewhat negligent towards this region. The US needs to be constantly reminded that Pakistan had cleverly tried to be in the good books of America while harbouring radical terrorist groups on its soil, despite the fact that Islamic radicals regarded US as their prime enemy. At the same time Pakistan had brought about a settlement between the Taliban Emirate and China. American policymakers should take notice of this. The evolution of national security policy of India should be regarded as a work in progress with continuity on some fundamental points of strategic interest of India and scope for tactical adjustments depending upon geopolitical shifts and the world's economic trends. The national security policy of India would not be complete without defining the nation's approach to safeguarding its internal security, integrity and unity. A vast diverse country like India has been vulnerable to conflicts rooted in caste, creed and region and needed a set of policies that upheld fundamental rights, freedom of citizens to visit and settle down in any part of the state and access to justice. Maintenance of law and order should be strong across the length and breadth of the country and since this was a state subject the Centre's right to take note of any gross failure of a state on that front, should be further strengthened. This has become even more important in these times when the adversary can remotely instigate internal trouble by activating its 'sleeper cells' through digital media. It is heartening to note that the Union Home Minister is already working for better coordination between the central agencies and state Police forces as part of the national security policy. (The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)
