PRESS REPORTS INDIAN LISTENING POST IN MADAGASCAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANTANANARIVO 000802 SIPDIS SIPDIS PARIS FOR D'ELIA NEW DELHI FOR DAO AND POLOFF DEFENSE FOR DIA/DHM-S DIA WASHDC FOR ANDREW SALAMONE, ERIC LITTLEPAGE, AND SWETAL DESAI E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017 TAGS: PINR ECPS PREL MOPS MARR MCAP IN MA XO SUBJECT: PRESS REPORTS INDIAN LISTENING POST IN MADAGASCAR REF: HMSNG WASHINGTON DC SERIAL: X-IAC-2350-0069-07 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires George N. Sibley for reasons 1.4 B,D ¶1. (C) Press reports indicate the Indian Government has opened a "listening post" on the northern coast of Madagascar to monitor seagoing traffic in the Indian Ocean. Most recently "Asia Times Online" reported the station took a year to construct and opened in July to contribute to India,s security perimeter in the region. These reports, or rumors, have occasionally been picked up in the Malagasy media. To date, the Indian Embassy in Antananarivo and our top Malagasy military contacts categorically deny reports of the listening post. The Indian Charge d'Affaires said simply, "This is an invention of the Indian press." ¶2. (C) COMMENT: Post has no reason to believe the Indian Embassy or Malagasy military are misleading us, so we conclude this listening post may indeed be an invention of the Indian media. Rumors first surfaced in mid-2006 at which point we consulted our colleagues at Embassy New Delhi, who, at the time, confirmed our suspicion that there was no truth to this story. Post would welcome information and details on this report from the Department or from Embassy New Delhi. END COMMENT. SIBLEY