Counter-terrorism Cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia

The deportation of Fasih Mohammed, a suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operator alleged to have been involved in terror attacks in Bangalore and Delhi, by Saudi Arabia is another good example of increasing counter-terrorism cooperation between New Delhi and Riyadh. In June this year, Abu Jundal alias Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari, a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) handler, involved in several terror attacks in various parts of India, was similarly deported despite Pakistan’s resistance.

Considered as “a very important catch” Fasih is expected to know a lot about the IM: its leadership, motivations, funding, recruitment, training, bases (both political and military), logistical support, its linkage with state and non-state actors of Pakistan, other internal and external networks, its modules and ‘sleeper cells’ in India and abroad, selection of targets, and plans for future attacks. Fasih’s arrest indeed was a big blow to the IM, whose module was recently busted.

In the case of Jundal, Saudi Arabia was reluctant to deport him because of Pakistan, its staunch ally. Islamabad knew Jundal’s value to Indian authorities and the damage it could cause to Pakistan’s image if he confessed whatever he knew. He was the only Indian present at the “control room” in Karachi that guided the entire course of 26/11 Mumbai attack; he not only knew who else were present, but also their exact role and motivations. But, in Fasih Mohammed’s case, the delay was more of procedural in nature: in terms of crimes committed by the accused and his citizenship.

Although pressure from the US worked, there has been realisation on the part of the Saudis on the need to cooperate with India on counter-terrorism. In the recent years, Riyadh has been increasingly feeling concerned over collaboration between Al Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and its possible implications in the long run. IM’s ideological inspiration from Al Qaeda and former’s intense network with LeT did not go unnoticed by Riyadh.

The counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia has also to be looked at from the point of improving bilateral ties. The relations have been on the upward trend ever since January 2006 when King Abdullah visited India (a visit by a Saudi head of the state after 50 years) as a chief guest of India’s Republic Day celebrations. The ‘Delhi Declaration’ that was signed during the visit termed that the “visit heralds a new era in India-Saudi Arabia relations and constitutes a landmark in the development of increased understanding and cooperation between the two countries and creation of a mutually beneficial partnership.” Apart from other areas like economy, trade, science & technology, health and culture, the two countries recognised the “need to intensify and coordinate bilateral, regional and global cooperation to combat and eradicate the menace of terrorism.” However, there was no concrete agreement on counter-terrorism cooperation except for signing a ‘MoU on Combating Crime’. Although the MoU provided for cooperation between the security agencies of the two countries for combating organised crime, illicit trafficking of narcotics, weapons, and historical artifacts, and counterfeiting of currency and travel documents, in practice there were hitches.

The obstacles came in the form of perception of what constituted “crime” and priorities in addressing them. Yet, when the overall bilateral relations improved to the level of ‘strategic partnership’ in 2010, and when Saudi Arabia found that the importance of India as a major power had been gaining resonance, there had been meeting grounds. This was reflected in the signing of an Extradition Treaty between the two countries in the same year. Defence Minister AK Antony’s visit to the Kingdom in February 2012, the first by a Defence Minister of India, tremendously boosted security ties between the two countries, including in counter-terrorism.

Counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia does not stop with the deportation of Abu Jundal and Fasih Mohammed. The two countries, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has pointed out, are “strong allies against the scourge of extremism and terrorism that affects global peace and security.” It is important that the cooperation between the two countries goes further in identifying the network of those already radicalised and in safeguarding Indians (about two million) based in the Kingdom from any radicalising attempts by jihadi groups.

Further, Saudi Arabia should arrest and deport all Indian fugitives hiding in that country and in future should discourage such elements from entering into the Kingdom. Much attention is also required in blocking funds to Indian terror groups from non-state actors based in Saudi Arabia. The two countries stand to gain not only on economic complementarities, but also on security and defence complementarities. A Joint Committee on Security similar to the one on Defence should be set up to make the security cooperation comprehensive: intelligence sharing, monitoring and surveillance, joint exercises, high-level visits, exchange programmes, and so on. Using the present momentum, India should make best use of its diplomatic energies to prevail on violent non-state actors based in Pakistan, like the LeT, through Saudi Arabia. Riyadh’s help is vital for New Delhi to counter jihadist terrorism in the country, which King Abdullah called as his “second home”.

Dr N Manoharan is a Senior Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), New Delhi

Views expressed are personal