India-Israel 1980’s Plan to Strike Pakistan’s Kahuta Nuclear Facility, Claims Ex-CIA Officer

Key Points:

A recently resurfaced account by former CIA officer Richard M. Barlow has brought renewed attention to an alleged covert proposal from the early 1980s, involving India and Israel. Both the countries reportedly considered a joint airstrike on Pakistan’s Kahuta nuclear research facility. The plan, which was ultimately never executed, was said to be aimed at preventing Pakistan from advancing its nuclear weapons programme. The details have emerged in media reports following comments attributed to Barlow, who worked on monitoring nuclear proliferation in South Asia during his tenure with U.S. intelligence.

According to reports, the alleged proposal dates back to the period when Indira Gandhi served as India’s Prime Minister. Kahuta, located in Pakistan’s Punjab province, was and continues to be a critical research site linked to the development of Pakistan’s nuclear capability. At the time, India and Israel reportedly explored the possibility of striking the site, as both governments had concerns about the rapid progress of Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

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However, the strike was never approved. As reported, Indira Gandhi is said to have declined to authorize the operation, considering the severe geopolitical consequences that could unfold in South Asia. The region was still recovering from the after-effects of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, and tensions between the two countries remained high. Any direct attack on Kahuta risked triggering a large-scale conflict, potentially drawing in global powers during the Cold War period.

Richard Barlow, who later became known for raising concerns about U.S. intelligence handling of Pakistan’s nuclear advancement, stated in the recent media interviews that the plan was serious enough to have reached high-level discussions.

He described it as an operation that, had it been executed, would likely have provoked a strong military response from Pakistan. Barlow was part of U.S. intelligence assessments on South Asia, but he was not a decision-maker in Indian or Israeli policy. His role primarily involved analyzing and reporting information related to nuclear proliferation in the region.

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Indira Gandhi, who was Prime Minister at various intervals between 1966 and 1984, was known for her firm foreign policy decisions, including leading India during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. Her reported decision not to move ahead with the strike has been described by analysts as an example of caution in the face of potential escalation.

The government of India has not officially confirmed the existence of such a plan, and Pakistan has historically rejected allegations that its nuclear programme was weapon-focused at that point. Israel has also not issued formal statements regarding the matter.

The context of the period is significant. The early 1980s were marked by nuclear competition in South Asia, and global powers, including the United States, were monitoring regional developments closely. The resurfacing of Barlow’s account has renewed discussions about historical nuclear dynamics in the Indian subcontinent, but experts emphasize that the account remains based on declassified assessments, interviews, and historical investigations rather than publicly released government records.

The matter continues to be discussed primarily in strategic and historical analysis circles, with no official confirmation or denial from the governments directly involved. [Rh/MY/VP]

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