It is not unknown even for the best intelligence agencies in the world to have been victims of penetration by hostile countries. The USSR leapfrogged its nuclear program substantially as a result of covert smuggling of data on the much more advanced US program. Since 1992, the CCP is expert in siphoning off information from countries such as Japan, the US and Germany so as to build the capabilities judged necessary by the Central Military Commission to defeat the three in a future conflict. In the unlikely event of reports of a purported Indian official being behind the attempted assassination of a known terrorist (to dignify Pannun with a label known for valour and glory, the Sikh faith, would be to do that exceptionally productive and capable community a disservice), it is conceivable that this may have been an operation masterminded through a “turned” official by a country that is hostile to the close security relations between Washington and Delhi. As much focus needs to be paid to counter-intelligence operations designed to ferret out double agents and compromised elements from the security services as is being paid to the acquiring of intelligence. Judging by material publicly available, the entire Pannun operation (if it actually did take place) appears to be a reputational hit job against the Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just months away from a national election. That an Indian official of integrity would act in a manner completely contrary to established government policy is almost inconceivable. It will be a priority for the Government of India to ascertain the factual situation behind the allegation by authorities in the Southern District of New York of official involvement in an attempted hit job aimed at a terrorist facilitator. The need is to identify whether any government personnel in key agencies have been “turned” by a hostile power to speak and act in the manner reported in media. In the meantime, Xi and Putin must be smiling at each such purported disclosure by the US side, given their potential to create a cleavage between the two biggest democracies should the matter escalate.
Unlike in the case of Canada, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to shift the spotlight from China to India by publicly accusing India of seeking to assassinate a known terrorist involved in drug trafficking, thus far the Biden administration has been relatively circumspect in its public remarks on the controversy regarding an alleged plan to do away with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who had just a short time ago threatened to bring down an Indian civilian aircraft on the very day the Cricket World Cup finals were to be played in Ahmedabad. That US authorities appear to have brushed off threats by Pannun is unforgivable. Even the most casual tracing of the activities and contacts of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun would uncover his linkages to groups that have long sought to create violence and mayhem in India, and have sometimes succeeded. President Biden should not repeat history by ignoring a declared terror threat to a country that has emerged as a strong partner in ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. As a consequence of what constitutes criminal negligence by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, an Air India flight was brought down by a high explosive charge in 1985, while the known perpetrators escaped justice. Had the Canadian authorities had no interest in taking multiple warnings of such a terror incident being planned, they did nothing to prevent the atrocity. Worse, nothing was done to those Canadian authorities who by wilful negligence allowed the Kanishka crash to happen. Indeed, many were subsequently promoted in their careers. In a replay of that shameful episode, Pannun appears to be protected by US agencies rather than proceeded against on the basis of known intelligence about activities relating to terror groups operating in India. This may be the result of a deal reached between mid-level agents and Pannun whereby he informs on any activity by his contacts against the US and its NATO allies, the price being silence where anti-India activities are concerned. If so, such discrimination needs to stop. Giving a pass to facilitating terror in India to Pannun and others who are close to the activities of the Sino-Pakistan nexus is a negation of the promise by the US and India to each protect the other against acts of terror. Delhi is keeping its side of the bargain. So should Washington
MDN