The Pakistan factor in the Bombay bomb blasts have clearly exposed the inadequacies in our systems dealing with measures to uncover and neutralise the activities of hostile intelligence agencies on our soil and to meet the threats posed by the organised crime. The need of the hour is to : Revamp the counter intelligence apparatus; develop an All India approach to curb the activities of organised crime; improve the Criminal Intelligence system to check the flow of criminals, arms and explosives into the country and their movements within the country; and to upgrade the equipment and professional skills of the Police forces in the Metropolises to meet these threats.

Pakistan attempts to create and sustain a low intensity conflict in India to ensure the diversion of scarce resources for internal security tasks and to create widespread disorders and panic conditions to disrupt economic and industrial activity. The basic aim of destabilisation and disruption of economic progress would be achieved, if these twin objectives are successful.

Having failed in her attempts to foment trouble in J&K and Punjab through her dirty tricks outfit - the ISI, Pakistan turned her attention to other parts of India. As proximity to operational bases is the prime factor, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra suggested themselves. Bombay became the prime target due to the presence of a well established organised crime, which could be used for carrying out destructive tasks for monetary considerations. Any disruption caused in Bombay would have adverse impact on the Nation’s economy.

The magnitude and the severity of the offensive operation suggests that it was a well planned and professionally directed one. These things take time to organise. The fact remains that our agencies concerned had no fore-knowledge of the plot brewing. This is the aspect which should cause concern to all right thinking people.

In the National Security apparatus, the task of protecting the Nation against the activities of hostile intelligence agencies by creating conditions for sabotage, espionage, subversion etc. has been assigned to national intelligence establishment. In this context, intelligence connotes all things which should be known in advance for initiating a course of action to protect National Security. Intelligence is evaluated and assessed information useful for decision making. It is the fore-knowledge of events to come. Since forewarned is forearmed, countries with efficient intelligence establishments make right policy decisions most of the time. There are basically three type of intelligence : STRATEGIC (LONG TERM VALUE); TACTICAL (SHORT TERM APPLICATION); and COUNTER INTELLIGENCE (DEFENSIVE APPLICATION).

Counter intelligence is the activity devoted entirely to uncovering, countering and neutralising offensive intelligence operations of hostile powers on our soil. It is a defensive system meant to protect our VIPs, Secrets and vital installations against assassination, espionage and sabotage and to prevent infiltration of enemy agents into the country. To be effective, counter intelligence organisation should have extensive presence and the capability to enforce counter measures. Since the police are omnipresent, they have a vital role to play in this area. Basic criteria for an effective intelligence organisation is its capacity to garner large volumes of raw information which could be processed, analysed, and evaluated and converted into intelligence.

Hostile intelligence agencies need local agents to carry out their plans. Where present, organised crime becomes an useful ally to foreign intelligence organisations on mercenary considerations. Thus, an effective counter intelligence machinery should also have complete knowledge of the activities of organised crime. Since the tentacles of organised crime are spread in all illegal activities like Drug Traffic, Smuggling, White slave traffic, Gun running, etc. the need for the counter intelligence agencies to keep close liaison with the police agencies dealing with these crimes would be obvious. Thus, counter intelligence is an all pervasive task requiring the cooperation and coordination of many agencies.

In India, we have an excellent intelligence establishment manned by dedicated professionals. Unfortunately their energies and resources are being frittered away on mundance politically oriented tasks of no importance to National Security. It is time, those in authority, stopped using intelligence establishment for tasks other than National Security. Counter intelligence should become their prime concern. The need to build up counter intelligence capabilities in the State Police forces can not be over-emphasised.

As India marches forward to take her rightful place as the Regional Power in South Asia, hostile powers will attempt to mount more offensive intelligence operations. The country should have capacity to withstand these. Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassination and Bombay blasts are two instances of the inadequacy of our counter intelligence capabilities. We can not afford to have more such set backs.

Organised crime thrives under conditions of chaos, instability and permissive atmosphere. We are already seeing the potentiality of organised crime to cause damage to the social fabric in our major cities. Organised crime follows the offensive intelligence operations as there is money in them. At present, we do not have a coordinated approach at all India level to tackle organised crime. Central Bureau of Investigation should be tasked to do this job in cooperation with the State Crime Bureaus. Documentation of activities, identification details, modus operandi, organisational net work etc. is to be done to build up a data bank on organised crime to be available for all law enforcement agencies.

The need to improve the criminal intelligence system to check the flow of criminals, arms and explosives into the country and their movement within, is very urgent. The Arms Act and the Explosives Act are to be suitably amended and made more effective. Possession of Arms and explosives without valid licences should be made a serious offence with stringent punishment. Tighter control over Arms and Explosives will ensure that criminals do not get an opportunity to use them to commit crimes. It will also have a good impact on internal security and law and order spheres.

The capacity to earn revenue will depend upon the peaceable conditions prevailing in Bombay. Therefore, in its own interest, centre should make available finance for Bombay City Police for modernisation.

None of these suggestions are difficult to implement or complex. If we have the will to rectify the existing defects and remove the inadequacies, we can be sure of preventing future mishaps.