IC-814 Hijacking: A New Era in India’s Counter Terrorism Strategy

The 1999 IC-814 hijacking marked a critical juncture in India's battle against terrorism. The incident, which led to the release of Masood Azhar, exposed vulnerabilities in India's security apparatus and had far-reaching consequences, including the formation of Jaish-e-Mohammed and subsequent terrorist attacks on Indian soil.

 The Indian Airlines flight IC-814 hijacking incident that took place in December 1999 is one of the most significant events in India’s fight against terrorism. With the advent of a new fictional series, this incident reminds the people of India about the problems that the country had faced at the beginning of the new millennium. 

 The hijacking was planned by Pakistan-based militants to get the release of Masood Azhar, a prominent member of the Harkat-ul-Ansar group. The event highlighted the weaknesses in the Indian intelligence and security system, and even a RAW officer was on board the doomed flight. 

 The crisis took place in the context of a number of international relations factors. India, which conducted nuclear tests recently, was subjected to sanctions and boycott by the international community. At the same time, the West, which was still reveling in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s disintegration, had a rather different perception of militant groups in the region than it would after the September 11 attacks. 

 The hijackers’ initial demands were to release 36 terrorists and a $200 million ransom; however, the main achievement of the hijackers was the freeing of Masood Azhar and two other militants. This decision which was taken under pressure had serious implications for the security of India. 

 Azhar later on formed Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan which signified the start of cross border terrorism. The group has been blamed for several major attacks, including the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001 and the Pulwama bombing in 2019, which shows that the IC-814 event has not yet ended. 

 The hijacking exposed major weaknesses in India’s counter-terrorism policy and foreign policy. During the crisis, India could not gain cooperation from the UAE and did not have channels with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. 

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 Looking back at this period in India’s history, the IC-814 hijacking remains a painful memory of the new forms of terrorism and the need for effective intelligence and strong leadership in the fight against it. The event remains relevant in the current debates on India’s counter-terrorism measures and its stance on security issues in the South Asian region.