An important message that the recent Operation Sindoor related hostilities communicated to the people of the sub-continent was how important the role of appropriate technology is in achieving victory. At the same time, the attack by Ukraine’s drones on 1 June deep into Russian territory – one target was a military airfield in Siberia over 6000 kilometers away – shows how the role of intelligence services has increased in the present. Similar to this was the carefully orchestrated attack by the Israeli Mossad on Hezbollah leaders by blowing up their pagers and walkie-talkies. This enhanced intermix of technology and espionage in the present era is a matter of concern for all those responsible for national security the world over. India, too, needs to engage with this reality as rapidly as possible.
Ukraine’s ‘Operation Spider Web’, it is reported, took almost a year and a half in the preparation. Drones were smuggled in and stored in sites around the five airfields that were attacked. This implies not only enormous discipline in keeping the plan secret, but a strategic focus to plan so far ahead. A similar long-term approach was witnessed in Israel’s attack on Hezbollah as pagers were substituted with explosive ones gradually over a period of time.
There also have to be collaborators on the other side for such missions to be accomplished. In the case of India and Pakistan there is no shortage of such fifth-columnists in each other’s territories. It is in the light of these facts that future planning needs to be done – and precautions taken. This requires inter-disciplinary cooperation to be enhanced multifold as compared to the present. The existing silos that are defended by the bureaucratic mentality with great tenacity must be dismantled. It is not just a case of emulating what has been witnessed but going even beyond that.
This will require a review of existing operational ability and identification of existing potential, both technologically and innovation-wise. The Ajit Doval phase in India’s intelligence set-up has achieved landmarks, but it has still fallen short of fully taking the fight to the enemy’s doorsteps. Anti-India organisations have not only acquired diverse forms, but also many allies around the world. The Pahalgam attack, for instance, exploited a chink in India’s armour. Out of the box thinking needs to be developed that can anticipate and nip in the bud such operations. It is the adversaries who should be worried about where and when India will strike.
