Key Points

The tightening of security has made it nearly impossible for terrorists from Pakistan to infiltrate. Another problem that is being faced by these elements is that they are unable to smuggle arms and ammunition for terrorists to use in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ISI has now activated its modules in India and is encouraging them to operate from remote places and prepare the ammunition or bombs. This is very much on the lines of the Burdwan module in West Bengal that was busted by the agencies in 2014.

The ISI proposes similar modules across the country as it feels that this would ensure quicker and secure arms delivery to its terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir and other places.

Intercepts picked up by the Intelligence Bureau suggest that smaller units to manufacture arms and ammunition are being planned across the country. The agencies have advised the state police units to coordinate closely with the central agencies. These modules have to be tracked and shut down. If there are slip-ups, these have the potential to set up scores of small units and produce a large amount of arms and ammunition.

The primary intention of the ISI is to manoeuvre the block that it is facing at the Line of Control (LoC) owing to heightened security. Initially, it had managed to overcome this problem by using the border with Punjab to send in drugs, arms and ammunition. When the manual routes were blocked, Pakistan used drones to deliver narcotics, money, arms and ammunition. Once these were dropped off in Punjab, they would be transported by route to Jammu and Kashmir. The arms were also meant to be used by the Khalistani terrorists based in Punjab.

However, with technology being enhanced, the Indian agencies managed to shut down this menace largely.

With so many blocks, the ISI has now plotted to set up small units and manufacture arms. The money would be routed through clandestine methods. The agencies say that the ISI uses the hawala route extensively to send money to its operatives in India. Most of the money that comes in for such activities using the hawala route is usually from Gulf nations.

Officials say that identifying such units would be crucial, and hence, the coordination between the states and the Centre is important. While such units can come up overnight, it is important to prevent them from manufacturing arms and ammunition, officials also note.

The job would be harder for the security agencies since these factories would be set up in remote places away from the public eye. This is an intentional ploy to avoid scrutiny. It worked for terror groups in Burdwan. The bomb making factories in Burdwan were operating as cottage industries. Bombs were being manufactured in firecracker-making units, and hence they never caught the attention of the police.

After the module was busted, the police found that bombs had been manufactured in thousands. It was later learnt that the bombs were being manufactured by the Jamaat ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). This was being done at the insistence of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was planning on carrying out a series of blasts in Bangladesh to enforce regime change.

While the ISI’s new plan is similar in terms of infrastructure and secrecy, the intention is to carry out blasts in the country and also ensure that there is a proper supply chain of arms and ammunition to Jammu and Kashmir.

- IANS