Filed under: Cynthia Chandran | Tags: analyst, BBC, LET, P.Chidambaram, visit
Some of the most prominent and powerful world leaders made a beeline to India recently to offer their support to eliminate terrorism on the aftermath of Mumbai attacks.
The visiting leaders included US Presidential Republican candidate, John McCain, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, US Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
The latest to visit India today was the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown who made an unscheduled visit and offered condolences for the Mumbai attacks to Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh.
Mr.Brown had a whirlwind tour to Pakistan also after his breakfast meeting with the Indian counterpart. The British Prime Minister had come to India after visiting Afghanistan.
Almost all the leaders who visited India had also traveled to Pakistan to put pressure on the government there to take stringent action against the LET (Lashkar-e- Taiba) terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks.
India’s External Affairs Minister, Pranab Kumar Mukherjee had asked his visiting Pakistani counterpart to take action against the terrorists involved. There was an imminent danger of war looming between the two countries.
The visits of the world leaders thawed the mood to an extent.
Eyewash
Pakistan’s move on arresting, banning terrorist organisations and also putting the leader of one of the terrorist organisation under house arrest is looked upon with skepticism by Indian government.
The External Affairs Ministry believes that the Pakistan’s move is just to create a distraction among the world countries.
India has since decided to overhaul its security measures. The Home Minister, P.Chidambaram had announced in the Parliament to set up a federal investigation agency, training more commandos, strengthening coastal security and also to boost the existing depleted intelligence agencies in the country.
The BBC had reported on the government’s dilemma on how to start doing it. They pointed out that India is facing fundamental deficiencies and serious lack of resources.
New Delhi based security analyst while speaking to BBC has said, “There is seriousness in the intent of announcing these measures. But the plans don’t emphasise the main priority areas.”
As pointed out by BBC, Indian government’s annual budget on security and intelligence measures is only $3 billion. This amounts to a population of over 1 billion people.
However, US’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has an annual budget of $7.1 billion for securing the lives of 300 million people.
So the difference is staggering. The Indian government needs to come up with more clarity. I understand that the Home ministry is working on it and may require more time or else they do not want unwarranted publicity.
The new course of action
At present, India has several agencies like Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). However, nobody is aware where the new federal agency will be placed.
To know more about its position, we all have to wait for the further course of action.
Everybody in India is aware that the coastal regions are poorly guarded and this is where the terrorists took undue advantage of the loopholes in entering the country.
India severely lacks manpower in intelligence agencies and the government may find it very tough to recruit the efficient ones.
Already, all the security agencies are facing a dearth of manpower to fill the existing vacancies.
India’s plans are very ambitious and if it is executed on time and in a proper manner, it should be commended. But it can be said so only after it is implemented.
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