Two recently released web series have captured the imagination of audiences across India. Both series are based on the clandestine mission of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) known as 'Operation Kahuta' during the 1970s. The mission aimed to expose Pakistan's covert nuclear weapons program. But what is the real story behind this mission, and why is it considered so crucial? What went wrong?
What was Operation Kahuta?
Launched in 1977 by India's elite intelligence agency RAW, Operation Kahuta was a covert mission designed to uncover and thwart Pakistan's secretive nuclear weapons program. This program was based in Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL), located in the small, hard-to-find city of Kahuta. So secretive was this location that it rarely appeared on maps.
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In 1974, India's nuclear test in Pokhran, known as Operation Smiling Buddha, acted as a catalyst, prompting Pakistan's then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to declare their intention to develop nuclear weapons, stating they would do so even if it meant eating grass. With this resolute intent, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect behind Pakistan's nuclear program, set up a secret uranium enrichment plant in Kahuta.
Source: aajtak
India had an inkling of Pakistan's nuclear ambitions but lacked concrete evidence. RAW's mission was to confirm their suspicions and halt the development if possible. Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, assisted RAW, as Israel was apprehensive that a nuclear-armed Pakistan, labeled as an Islamic bomb, could pose a threat in the Middle East.
How did Operation Kahuta unfold?
By the 1970s, RAW had constructed a robust espionage network in Pakistan, led by the adept Rameshwar Nath Kao, fondly known as 'Cowboy.' RAW spies intercepted rumors of nuclear activities at Kahuta, but gathering solid proof was almost impossible. The heavily fortified Kahuta plant was under the tight security blanket of the Pakistani military and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).
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Adopting a novel approach, RAW learned that Kahuta's nuclear scientists frequented a local barber shop. Their agents collected hair samples from these barber visits. Upon laboratory analysis in India, traces of radiation were found, providing undeniable evidence that Kahuta was enriching plutonium or uranium for a nuclear bomb.
This intel enabled RAW to confirm the existence of the Kahuta nuclear facility, which they then shared with Israel, who was planning an airstrike on Kahuta similar to their 1981 strike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor.
Source: aajtak
What was the plan?
In 1981, India and Israel collaborated on a plan known as the Osirak Contingency to bomb the Kahuta plant. The strategy involved Israeli F-15 and F-16 fighter jets reaching India's Jamnagar airbase via the Arabian Sea, refueling at Udhampur, and proceeding to attack Kahuta. India's role was to provide airspace and airbase facilities while the strike was to be carried out by Israeli pilots and weaponry.
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Challenges arose when the United States got wind of the plan and alerted Pakistan, prompting a rapid increase in air defenses around Kahuta and nullifying the surprise element of the attack.
Where did things go wrong?
The mission's biggest blunder was attributed to India's then Prime Minister Morarji Desai. In 1977, upon assuming office, Desai was skeptical of RAW and intelligence operations, viewing them as extensions of Indira Gandhi's policies. He slashed RAW's budget by 30% and restricted their operations.
Source: aajtak
The most damaging setback came when Desai, during a phone call with Pakistan's military leader General Zia-ul-Haq, divulged RAW's network and India's awareness of Kahuta's nuclear program. With this knowledge, Pakistan swiftly rooted out the RAW agents, brutally eliminating many, which crippled India's intelligence network in Pakistan.
Additionally, Desai refused Israel the permission to refuel in India for the strike on Kahuta, leading to the plan's cancellation. Later, Indira Gandhi also rejected the plan, not wanting to risk full-scale war.
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What happened next?
Pakistan's Nuclear Advancement
: After Operation Kahuta's failure, Pakistan accelerated its nuclear program, conducting a cold test in Kahuta in 1983 and six nuclear tests in 1998.
RAW's Downfall
: The loss of multiple agents weakened India's intelligence network significantly.
Political Scandal
: In recent claims, the Congress party accused Morarji Desai's government of sabotaging the mission, inadvertently aiding Pakistan's nuclear empowerment.
Pakistan's Honor
: Morarji Desai was later awarded Pakistan's highest civilian honor, Nishan-e-Pakistan, a gesture often linked to his critical missteps.
