PM meets CMs of Naxal-hit states

Our PM made a statement last year: “We are not in favour of using armed forces to fight Naxalism. If the Naxals shed violence, we are willing to talk."

In my view, peace talks after laying down arms is an oxymoron. Just consider a scenario where a mad gunman is pointing gun at a captive. Will there not be the “so-called” negotiations with the gunman, whatever the final action or outcome? Peace talks have happened with the Kashmiri terrorists, ULFA etc. Then, why not with the Naxals? In my view, it is a case of false motives and mixed priorities not to engage in talks without preconditions.

Naxal problem is not just a law and order problem. The problem relates to genuine grievances of the rural poor but is only covered and highlighted when security personnel suffer like 76 men of the CRPF were killed in Dantewada (ChattisgarhState) on 6th April 2010.

The Naxal problem is a pointer to the poor efforts of the GOI and the State Governments in looking after the needs of the rural peasants and the adivasis. As per Indian Constitution, Law and Order is a State Subject but an exception needs to be made, by amending the Constitution forthwith to provide subjects like Naxalism and Terrorism under the Joint List. These two threats are widespread in the nation, requiring Central responsibility and coordination which the Centre cannot shirk.

Prime Minister is meeting leaders from seven Naxal-affected states today to chalk out a fresh strategy to curb Left-wing extremism. Let’s hope we have some fresh minds discussing old issues not otherwise.

Shailendra Chauhan

Interception reveals Pak design!

After the lapse of fifteen years Indian Military has been deployed in Kashmir. Intercepts of cross-border phone conversations between terrorist elements in Pakistan and J&K have confirmed that the stone-pelting and rioting in the Valley are result of some careful planning, funding and instigation of the crowds by Pak Military personnel guised as civilians.

It is very interesting interception by Indian military intelligence. The plotters even set the target of their own demonstrators. Among the local sympathisers whose conversations have been tapped are the senior office-bearers of pro-Pakistan hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s Tehrik-e-Hurriyat, Ghulam Ahmad Dar and Shabir Ahmed Wani.

In their conversation on Thursday, the two discuss a rally to be held later in the day at Budgam. “There must be some more deaths...10-15 more people should be killed,” Dar is heard telling Wani. The telephone intercepts also throw up the money trail. “You are getting money but not doing enough,” went a conversation intercepted on Thursday between Dar and Wani.

This is not the usual practice of terror outfits but new one targeting military personnel. The idea is to make armed forces attack those they have been giving their lives to protect. It is also terrorists’ game plan to drive away tourists, given that it is a major indicator of normalcy in the Valley.  There were 100% booking at hotels in Srinagar this season, which have now fallen to just 10% in the wake of the unrest.

It is evident that Islamist extremist terrorism continues to not only thrive in Pakistan but are getting more active and intensifying their activities ahead of an Indo-Pakistan peace initiative.

Cyber War: Myth or Reality?

The Economist July issue describes cyber warfare as "the fifth domain of warfare, after land, sea, air and space". Both offensive and defensive hacking can be politically motivated, although it is normal for defensive measures to overlap with ordinary computer security. I think it's dangerous to define domains in the sense of putting limitations to one’s mind about what's possible via the Internet. 

The Internet is so completely pervasive that if we only think of it as a single domain, we're going to block out threat possibilities that could impact other domains. We're not safe if we're at sea from a network attack. We're not safe in the air from a network attack. That's why I think it's limiting and probably shouldn't be defined that way. I disapprove of using the word cyber war but I am using it because that's what everybody's using. To date, there is no agreed upon definition of what an act of cyber warfare is? It just doesn't exist. There's cyber conflict. There's cyber attacks. There's cyber espionage. There's all of that. But there is no cyber war that we can point to that has any legal substance.

However, there is a perfect storm brewing where the skills and resources required to launch a significant attack is drastically lower. Also, a food for thought cyber intelligence negates military advantage that a stronger country had against a smaller country to an extent. But depending upon the effects of a possible worm on the smart grid boxes, and the vulnerability of the generators, networks there can be a combined attack that does have strategic impact. Recently, an Indian army major’s computer was hacked in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The input was given by the American intelligence agencies after some intercepts showed a picture of a brigadier, on a training course in the US, being dispatched to Pakistan from the computer in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Countries like India need to look at the modernisation plans of the armed forces and realise it is in the government’s long-term national interest to become self-reliant in the field of critical defence equipment. I am not legitimizing the doomsday criers; mostly policy makers and big corporations who will in turn get more government funding in the name of security at the cost of the tax payer. However, I have come to realize that there is gross negligence in how security issues are being dealt with, their maintenance, and how it is evolving.

While I will not cry wolf and say it is imminent, I sadly realize that an Electronic Kargil war is now very possible.

Shailendra Chauhan