‘Indira Gandhi planned strike on Pak. nuclear sites’ 

Such a consideration by the then Indian Prime Minister was being made when the U.S. was in an advanced stage of providing its fighter jets F-16 to Pakistan.

Returning to power in 1980, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had considered a military strike on Pakistan’s nuclear installations to prevent it from acquiring weapons capabilities, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) document has claimed.

Such a consideration by the then Indian Prime Minister was being made when the U.S. was in an advanced stage of providing its fighter jets F-16 to Pakistan, says the September 8, 1981, document titled ‘India’s Reaction to Nuclear Developments in Pakistan’, which was prepared by the CIA.

A redacted version of the 12-page document was posted on the CIA website in June this year, according to which the then Indian government led by Gandhi in 1981 was concerned about the progress made by Pakistan on its nuclear weapons programme and Ms. Gandhi believed that Islamabad was steps away from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The U.S. had the same assessment.

‘Crack down on terror’

In a blunt message, the U.S. has asked Pakistan to intensify efforts to counter terrorist havens and take steps against the Haqqani network responsible for attacks on American installations in Afghanistan.

The message was conveyed by U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice.