Modi 100 days: Complex issues and crucial decisions

It was a hugely complex issue and required deft handling both at the diplomatic level as well as by top security and intelligence agencies. It is precisely for this reason that the PMO and precisely the office of the national security adviser took charge of the matter.

 

Even though the workers are yet to be released but what prompt action at every stage by NSA A.K. Doval, intelligence agencies and the ministry of external affairs has ensured is that no harm comes to the hostages. Thus, reports coming out of Mosul still suggest that the workers are safe almost two months after they were kidnapped.

 

Both Mr Doval and chief of the Intelligence Bureau Asif Ibrahim had personally travelled to Iraq within few days after the incident to help establish contact with middlemen who were in touch with the ISIS leadership. This to a large extent ensured safety of the Indian hostages.

 

Government sources claim the NSA activated all his personal contacts in the West Asia, particularly countries adjoining Iraq, to convey a clear message to the ISIS that India was in no way supporting any armed action against them and maintained a neutral stand on developments in Iraq and Syria.

 

The NSA’s office is also believed to have roped in some members of the Saudi Arabian royal family which is said to have close contacts with some top ISIS operatives since both happen to belong to the Sunni community. Even though the release of the Indian hostages might be delayed, the pro-active approach by the NSA on a similar issue resulted in a major breakthrough when Indian nurses kidnapped by the ISIS were released within a record time last month.

 

Again the NSA and the intelligence agencies worked overtime burning the midnight oil to secure the safe release of Indian nurses.

 

More recently, it is largely believed that the PMO played a decisive role in calling off the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan when the latter’s envoy invited separatist Hurriyat leaders for a dialogue. The NSA’s office is believed to have conveyed to the PM that a terse message needs to be sent to Pakistan that it cannot interfere in Indian internal matters, specially at a time when such crucial dialogue was to be resumed after a gap of two years.

 

The PMO’s prompt decision to call off the talks was conveyed to the foreign ministry even before it could take a stand on the issue. The incident also reveals the steely resolve of the Modi government and that it will not shy away from taking tough decisions even in the future when it comes to Indian’s security and strategic interests.