In a startling revelation, former CIA officer Richard Barlow has confirmedthat India and Israel allegedly planned a joint airstrike on Pakistan’sKahuta nuclear facility during the 1980s to halt Islamabad’s growing atomicprogram.
Barlow, who served as a counter-proliferation expert, described the plan asa highly secretive mission involving coordinated efforts between Indian andIsraeli intelligence agencies. The goal was to cripple Pakistan’s nuclearcapability before it reached operational maturity.
According to Barlow, Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India,ultimately did not approve the strike, citing potential regional falloutand global diplomatic repercussions. He lamented the decision, calling it a“shame” and suggesting that the move “could have changed the nuclearlandscape of South Asia.”
The Kahuta facility, located near Islamabad, was at the time believed to bethe heart of Pakistan’s uranium enrichment program, spearheaded by Dr.Abdul Qadeer Khan. Western intelligence agencies closely monitored the siteamid fears that Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions could spark an arms race withIndia.
Barlow further stated that the covert plan aimed to prevent nucleartechnology from spreading to other nations, particularly Iran, which Israelviewed as an emerging threat even then.
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While the alleged mission never materialized, the revelation reignitesdebate over missed strategic opportunities and the delicate balance ofnuclear deterrence in South Asia.
Analysts believe that had the plan been executed, it could have triggered amajor regional conflict, reshaping the trajectory of Pakistan-Indiarelations — and potentially altering the global non-proliferation order.