INTERNAL SECURITY PRIORITY FOR NEW UPA GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001031 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PK IN SUBJECT: INTERNAL SECURITY PRIORITY FOR NEW UPA GOVERNMENT ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the first meeting of the victorious United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leaders on May 20 that internal security will be the new government's highest priority. The same day two newspapers columns that are often used by the government to leak stories reported that the GOI may already have in hand a road map designed to rework India's security apparatus. One aspect of the plan is to establish a National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC),modeled after the U.S.'s own NCTC. Although we are encouraged by the GOI's declarations making security a priority, the real test will be how quickly they unveil their plan formally in parliament and then implement their strategies. End Summary. Internal Security is Priority One -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Prime Minister told his UPA allies at the first meeting after the elections on May 20 that internal security would be the new government's highest priority. It is not surprising that the GOI views internal security as an urgent issue. Six months ago it appeared the Congress-led UPA government was reeling under the political impact of the Mumbai terror attacks and few gave it a chance of surviving the national elections. The UPA government was widely criticized for an inept and uncoordinated response after the attacks and the failure to gather actionable intelligence to prevent the attack. Improbably, the Congress government resurrected itself and stormed back to power, and along the way did not forget the lesson that security will be an enduring issue and that they must develop capacity and skills to handle future Mumbai-style attacks. ¶3. (SBU) The PM's words to his allies were accompanied by two news stories by journalists who frequently serve as conduits for GOI leaks information that the GOI already in hand a road map for strengthening internal security. Pranab Dhal Samanta reported that PM Singh had commissioned National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan to put together an action plan months ago designed to strengthen India's internal security after the Mumbai attacks. This plan was to be a blueprint for the incoming government. With the reelection of the UPA government it was reported that PM Singh has advised NSA Narayanan to start fleshing out the plan and work out the details for implementation. National Network Security Architecture -------------- ¶4. (U) One important feature of the plan is the establishment of a NCTC. NCTC would be tasked to develop a detailed reporting structure and create a joint command with Central and States representatives for Naxal-affected areas. Structurally, at the district level there will be "collation and fusion" centers where intelligence is collected and analyzed. This information will then be forwarded to the state level Multi-agency Centers (MAC). Threat information deemed credible will be passed to the national level NCTC for operational action. The NCTC will initially report to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and it will have representatives from all intelligence, military and security agencies. ¶5. (U) According to Times of India, the road map also contains several other initiatives, including the development of an action plan to help "Red Zone" states, states most threatened by the Naxal insurgency, a Multi-Purpose National Identify Card, a judicial task force to fast-track terror related cases and the NATGRID, which is an integrated national database. The NATGRID's goal is to connect Delhi with other major Indian cities though a computerized database. The Commonwealth Games -------------- NEW DELHI 00001031 002 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) Security for the Commonwealth Games is also part of the road map. The new government is aware that the high visibility of the Commonwealth Games presents an attractive target for terrorists. Several Commonwealth countries have expressed concern to the GOI and the U.S. over India's lack of a security strategy to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators. It is vital, therefore, for the Indian government to ensure that the games are perceived to be terrorism-proof by the international community. Comment -------------- ¶7. (U) If approved, the NCTC would be one of a growing list of agencies, including the National Investigative Agency and Multi-agency Centers, competing for resources. It is unclear how effective it would be in the short term. Also, it is unclear how the NATGRID would integrate with the NCTC or other intelligence and security agencies. At this stage, although we are encouraged by the GOI's positive words on security, we see this as merely a first step in a new strategy for combating terrorism. The real test will come in how quickly and smoothly the government can implement the plans and blueprints that are being talked about today. End Comment. BURLEIGH