ISI - NDS Deal & Indian Worry!

By Shahzad Masood Roomi


“MoU signed by ISI and NDS includes intelligence sharing, complementary and coordinated intel operations on respective sides.”

This is what ISPR's official statement reads on twitter.com regarding recently signed deal between Pakistan's ISI and Afghan NDS to jointly fight against terrorism through coordination and intel sharing. There is NO mention of any country in this statement. 

Today. Indian National Security Adviser (NSA), Ajit Doval had following to say about this deal.

"What Pakistan wanted was to take assurance and pressurize Afghanistan that they will not allow their territory, to be used for any security related work by India. That is the crux of it. This is based on a faulty assumption that India probably uses Afghan soil or Afghan nationals, for its security purposes," 

ANALYSIS:

In the complex security scenario, such deals among the most adversely affected nations is nothing surprising even though both have long history of mistrust on security related issues, but the way Indian NSA has reacted raises many questions on the true nature of Indian involvement in Afghanistan.

If India is not involved in supporting any kind of terrorism in Pakistan using Afghan soil, then why to object a deal which is purely against the terrorists like Taliban, Al-Qaeda etc. the groups who are common enemies of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. But as now the Indian apprehension about a security related agreement has been confirmed, it is only natural to assume that India actually "do" have role in creating security related troubles in Pakistan's Western provinces.

The statement of Indian defense minister, in which he has hinted at using terrorists to fight terrorism also endorse this assertion!

Apart from that, an essential element of deal between ISI and NDS is the accord for provision of joint probe of the terrorism suspects and this explains why Indian security establishment is so worried about this deal. This will eliminate the fog of uncertainty and mistrust between NDS and ISI which hitherto has helped the hostile entities to conceal their covert ops in the region which might be the part of their larger strategic plans.

A heated debate is already taking place within the Indian strategic community on the possible implications of this deal for the strategic interests of India in Afghanistan. And the most important question being asked after this deal between Pakistani and Afghan intelligence agencies is, Has India lost Afghanistan to Pakistan?