US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI5960

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 005960 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV, ASEC, MASS, IN, PK, NP, Counter-Terrorism 
SUBJECT: MHA ADDRESSING TERRORISM, WILLING TO CONSIDER 
ENHANCED COOPERATION 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Robert O. Blake, Jr. for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Special Secretary (Home) KP Singh told 
Charge, Consul General and Poloff on August 1 that recent 
terrorist attacks in India, while worrisome, represent a 
return to past levels of higher terrorist activity to which 
India was accustomed.  He identified several new MHA 
initiatives to increase security, including increased coastal 
patrolling and a proposed national biometric ID card, and 
welcomed the suggestion of regular information sharing with 
the USG on terrorist threat reporting in India and possible 
ATA aid for MHA's coastal security initiative.  End Summary. 
 
Blas about Recent Up-tick 
------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Singh downplayed Mission and media concerns that the 
recent spate of terrorist attacks in Ayodhya, Srinagar, and 
on a Delhi-bound train represented an up-tick in terrorist 
activity, saying rather that terrorists have not relented in 
their efforts, and the current tempo is simply a return to 
levels of terrorism seen two to three years ago.  In the face 
of mounting circumstantial evidence and media speculation, he 
discounted the idea that New Delhi has become an operational 
hub for underground terrorist networks, nor did he perceive a 
threat to foreigners or Americans in particular, but admitted 
that as the national capital New Delhi remains a high-profile 
target.  The terrorists in India are receiving support from 
the South Asian neighborhood, Singh remarked, adding that he 
was hopeful international pressure would "tighten the screws" 
on militant groups and repress their activities.  (Comment: 
Singh's efforts to downplay the terrorist violence are 
consistent with recent comments made by Army Chief of Staff 
JJ Singh and others.  End Comment.) 
 
Supports Intel-Sharing Meetings 
------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) In the meantime, Singh continued, the ease with which 
terrorists could enter India from Nepal and Bangladesh, and 
the inability to distinguish Indian citizens from nationals 
of neighboring countries made it impossible for heightened 
security and police awareness alone to intercept all 
terrorists.  He added that the key to anti-terrorist 
operations was obtaining good intelligence in order to 
disrupt planned attacks.  When the Charge suggested regular 
information sharing meetings as a way to strengthen 
anti-terrorist cooperation, Singh agreed, requesting that the 
Embassy propose such a program by letter to the Home 
Secretary.  Embassy will follow up. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
MHA Projects: Coastal Security and ID Cards 
------------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C) Singh identified securing India's long coastlines as 
one of his particular priorities, noting that the Indian Navy 
and Coast Guard have insufficient assets to intercept 
unauthorized vessels landing along the coast.  He told us 
that MHA is funding a "Coastal Security Scheme" to provide 
coastal states' police agencies with armed high-speed patrol 
boats equipped with surveillance and night vision gear. The 
program is starting with Maharashtra and Gujarat although in 
those states the additional patrol boats and bases will be 
allocated to the Indian Coast Guard instead of the state 
police. 
 
5.  (C) The Charge pointed out that the USG has several 
specialized agencies with experience in intercepting small 
boats due to our drug interdiction efforts, and said the USG 
would welcome specific suggestions for training or other 
cooperation.  Singh immediately dispatched an assistant to 
ask the Director General of the Coast Guard to suggest any 
areas for assistance, and told us he would pass along any 
requests. 
 
6.  (C) MHA is also in the middle of a pilot program to 
develop a national biometric (fingerprint-based) smart 
identification card, Singh said.  The pilot project is being 
conducted in 14 locations of varied geographic, demographic 
and urban/rural settings around the country, and enrolls 3 
million citizens.  MHA has finished the data collection and 
photography, is now issuing the cards, and expects to 
complete the pilot study in four months.  Singh commented 
that he was not sure all the stakeholder government 
departments were fully supportive, but he remained 
enthusiastic about the increased security potential of a 
nationwide biometric identity card.  In addition to 
identifying suspected infiltrators from Pakistan, he 
suggested, the proposed ID system would permit an 
instantaneous verification of the nationality of Indians 
arrested in other countries and awaiting deportation (see 
septel on a proposal to speed up the verification of Indian 
nationals awaiting removal in the US). 
 
Comment: The Devil is in the Bureaucratic Details 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
7.  (C) Singh appeared very receptive to our suggestions for 
possible ATA programs for the Indian Coast Guard, regular 
information sharing on terrorism, and even a suggestion that 
a nationwide fingerprint ID database could be used to verify 
US visa applications.  However, implementation of each of 
these proposals is sometimes difficult due to Indian concerns 
over sharing too much internal security information with the 
USG.  We will try to cut through the latent suspicion at MEA 
and MHA to attempt to bring these ideas to fruition.  End 
Comment. 
BLAKE