Limited military action is acceptable, but when you talk of war, you’re talking about nuclear warfare. Talking to bbc.
Amarjeet Singh Dulat Says Pahalgam Attack Was Due to Failure of Indian Security Agencies
New Delhi ( Web News )
Former chief of India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Amarjeet Singh Dulat, has said that the Pahalgam attack occurred due to the failure of Indian security agencies. However, he stated that a full-scale war between India and Pakistan is unlikely, and issues are expected to be resolved through dialogue.
In an interview with BBC Hindi, the former RAW chief said, “Yes, if a surgical strike is necessary, or a Balakot-style operation needs to be conducted, it can be done. Limited military action is acceptable, but when you talk of war, you’re talking about nuclear warfare — and such statements are only meant to scare. War is the last and worst option.”
It is worth noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a statement following the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 tourists that those who attacked the tourists and their backers would be tracked down to the ends of the earth and punished in a way they couldn’t imagine. He also stated that the Indian armed forces have full operational freedom to decide the method, targets, and timing of retaliation.
On the other hand, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and military spokesperson Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, among other government and military officials, have stated that Pakistan desires peace. However, they have also warned that any Indian military action against Pakistan in the context of the Pahalgam attack will be met with a strong response.
Amarjeet Singh Dulat added that while the current environment between India and Pakistan is tense, there are other ways to address the situation, such as backchannel talks. He mentioned that even U.S. President Trump had said these disputes have been ongoing for years and that India and Pakistan should manage their own affairs. According to Dulat, dialogue never truly stops — someone, somewhere, at some point is always talking. He added that if a country doesn’t want to engage directly, other nations like Saudi Arabia, Iran, or the UAE might step in to talk on their behalf.
When asked whether India should present evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the attack to the international community to strengthen its case, Dulat replied that doing so would indeed be beneficial.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an impartial investigation into the incident and expressed Pakistan’s willingness to cooperate. After this call for an independent probe, China also backed the demand.
Regarding the question of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Pahalgam attack, Dulat said that while the Resistance Front — a group affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba — initially claimed responsibility for the attack, it later retracted the claim. It is worth noting that Indian authorities did not immediately hold any specific group responsible, but based on a statement circulating on social media, the Resistance Front was blamed. The group later denied involvement.
Dulat emphasized that the attack could not have happened without Pakistan’s support, asserting that Pakistan has historically been involved in such incidents.
In response to whether this was a failure of security or intelligence, Dulat said the events in Pahalgam occurred due to a lapse in security, as there was virtually no security presence there. He added that in terms of intelligence, important information in Kashmir always comes from Kashmiris themselves, and thus it’s crucial to keep Kashmiris on one’s side.
He also noted that Kashmiris should not be blamed for the attack. While some locals might have been involved, most interference came from across the border. Dulat further remarked that perhaps for the first time, the entire Kashmir region stands united with Delhi, but despite this, reports of violence against Kashmiris in other parts of India have emerged, which is unacceptable and will impact the situation in Kashmir.
When asked about the reports that attackers were asking victims whether they were Hindu or Muslim before targeting them, Dulat said that it’s important to make it clear that this is not a Hindu-Muslim issue. Kashmir is not a Hindu-Muslim conflict, and similarly, in India, Hindus and Muslims are one. This is the message that needs to go out from India to the rest of the world.
Regarding the suspension of key agreements between India and Pakistan, Dulat said that the diplomatic messages sent by India to Pakistan were appropriate and the decisions made by the government in Delhi were correct. After the Pahalgam attack, India indirectly held Pakistan responsible and responded with steps like suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing borders, cancelling visas, and expelling diplomatic staff. In response, Pakistan called the Pahalgam incident a false flag operation and announced some countermeasures.