HOW deep must a nation sink into rogue behaviour to orchestrate covert assassination campaigns on foreign soil targeting both adversaries and allies? What level of audacity does it take for a nation to engage in state-sponsored terrorism, blatantly disregarding international norms and civilized conduct in the 21st century? Astonishingly, how naïve and blinded by short-term interests does the international community have to be to continue supporting and arming such a rogue actor? While despotic regimes like the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, North Korea, and genocidal Israel have engaged in such actions, astonishingly, the one state that surpasses them all in its rogue behaviour through unapologetic acceptance of these acts is the world’s largest democracy: India.
India’s targeted-killing campaigns in Pakistan, Canada and the United States (US), raise serious concerns about its adherence to international law and its intentions to act as a responsible international player. The Indian Defence Minister’s arrogant acceptance and ownership of this state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan is the most striking evidence of this concern. Acting like a classic example of a parvenu, India’s actions are a textbook example of abuse of power and contempt for the fundamental principle of state sovereignty.
The use of clandestine death squads to eliminate political opponents on foreign soil has been a time-tested method of Israel. Mossad, initiated the infamous Operation Bayonet (1972-1982), targeting numerous Palestinian leaders in Rome, Paris, Beirut, Lillehammer, Athens and East Berlin. Recently, Mossad assassinated Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in 2010. Furthermore, Mossad’s covert operations also extended to Iran, resulting in the killings of four Iranian nuclear scientists between 2010 and 2012, including Masoud Ali Muhammadi, Majid Shahriari, Dariush Rezaeinejad, and Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan. The most prominent of such assassinations was of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020 who was the head of the Iranian nuclear programme.
The fast-paced Indo-Israeli military partnership is being translated into this undesirable peer influence as India seems keen to emulate the Israeli model across various domains. The abrogation of Kashmir’s special status and subsequent demographic changes in the region and the introduction of the National Citizen Act are other notable examples to quote. Furthermore, the unsuccessful Balakot Strike following the February 2019 Pulwama suicide attack reflected India’s desire to mirror Israeli airstrikes against Jordan in response to Palestinian freedom fighters’ attacks. Nonetheless, India comprehensively failed to achieve its strategic objectives due to a potent response by the Pakistan Air Force.
It is noteworthy that India’s reaction to the allegations by the US was calculated, diplomatic, and apologetic. In contrast, Pakistan and Canada have been served a stubborn and aggressive response wrapped in false allegations of harbouring terrorism. This difference in India’s tone suggests that India is well aware of the gravity of the situation as the allegations indirectly implicate the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to whom the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) directly reports.
Another striking aspect of the current developments is that India’s actions reflect a superiority complex that it can get away with any violation of international law due to its growing economic muscles and its relevance for the West. It also indicates the confidence in Indian high-ups that the Western backing will remain undisturbed even if it continues to make a mockery of human rights and the norms of civilised world on the likes of Israel.
This reprobate Indian behaviour, however, gives Pakistan a chance to serve India a strong diplomatic response as the United Nations charter unequivocally condemns such actions by states. As democracy across the world is under pressure from non-democratic forces and behaviours, the US ought to hard press India for its campaign of unleashing terror on foreign soil. It is crucial that democratic voices within the United States to stress the need for revisiting military ties with India.
The venomous effects of such egregious abuse of power extend beyond the affected states and morph into a looming threat to global security. When states act with impunity, trampling the sovereignty of others, the delicate balance of international order is doomed to wobble. It leaves a lot for those to ponder upon who are still committed to supporting India’s quest for the role of a global player while India perceives itself as another Israel in the making. With its increasing power and this rogue behaviour, India is on the way to proving the maxim right that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
—The writer is a senior researcher at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) Lahore.
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