Revelations made by Wikileaks on India

David Mulford's cable allegedly called "Kashmir politics as filthy as Dal Lake" and that a Kashmiri businessman telling embassy officials that Mirwaiz Umer Farooq had acquired and Pakistan. Narayanan expressed personal interest in "counterterrorism deliverables" and suggested the Indian government may ultimately split the tender. property in Dubai and the Kashmir Valley from payoffs done by intelligence agencies of India

In another secret cable written on December 10, 2009, US Ambassador to India Timothy

Roemer said the ramifications of the "Telangana surrender" may go beyond Andhra Pradesh as similar demands that were simmering are likely to get a fresh impetus from the Telangana movement's "overnight success".

A 2008 US cable noted that not much was known of Rahul Gandhi's political beliefs and that he has avoided making a significant intervention in Parliament.

Kashmir is a money game: David Mulford

SRINAGAR: David Mulford, who was American Ambassador to India, cabled the US State Department in February 2006, "Kashmir politics is as filthy as Dal Lake". Scores of cables of whistleblower website WikiLeaks has several instances explaining the vested interest of 'stakeholders' in keeping the Kashmir pot boiling. "Corruption cuts across party lines and most Kashmiris take it as an article of faith that politically-connected Kashmiris take money from both India and Pakistan," a cable noted. Giving an example, Mulford's cable alleged that a Kashmiri businessman told embassy officials that Mirwaiz Umer Farooq had acquired property in Dubai and the Kashmir Valley from payoffs done by intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan. The cable noted that some "security officers bribe their way into Kashmir assignments that give access

to lucrative civil affairs and logistics contracts." Mulford's cable also referred to a newspaper report suggesting a "retired minister for Irrigation and Flood Control" embezzled funds to construct two large homes in Srinagar. Money from Pakistani and Indian intelligence agencies and foreign extremists has distorted Kashmiri politics and incentivised leaders to perpetuate the conflict, another Mulford cable alleged. "While this river of dirty money has led to a boom in Kashmiri household income and real estate prices, it also calls into question whether the Kashmiri elite truly want a settlement to their problems. The minute a deal is struck, some must surely worry that the funds will dry up," the cable said. An April 2006, a cable from Mulford alleged that when JKLF's Yasin Malik asked people belonging to moderate separatist Bilal Lone's area to refuse government compensation (paid for every innocent killing), the latter told US officials that "Yasin should give up 'a month of his Pakistani salary' to compensate families of boys killed". The cable was based on the US officials' visit to Srinagar between April 3 and 5. In the same cable Mulford quotes PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti accusing New Delhi of reverting "to its customary bad old ways" before the April 24, 2006, by-elections.

Mega jet deal could be split: Ex-NSA told US

NEW DELHI: Although US firms lost out on India's mega fighter deal, former national security adviser M K Narayanan had told US diplomats that the $10 billion buy could be split into two contracts and that he would ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep both price and quality in mind. The US aircraft were finally knocked on technical grounds, but higher pricing of fighters like the F18 series put them at a disadvantage with regard to European rivals and discussion on the deal came up before Singh's Washington visit in 2009. According to WikiLeaks, a US cable from New Delhi spoke of undersecretary Bill Burns meeting with Narayanan to preview the visit during which Narayanan expressed personal interest in "counterterrorism deliverables" and suggested the Indian government may ultimately split the tender. Narayanan also assured Burns of progress on civil nuclear cooperation ahead of the visit, including the imminent public announcement of reactor park sites for US firms and requested lifting of restrictions on high technology trade and expanded space cooperation.

In an indication of the clout he enjoyed in the PMO, Narayanan offered his personal assistance in brokering inter-ministerial approval of the counterterrorism deliverable, the proposed Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Initiative. In the one-on-one meeting, Narayanan suggested that the fighter tender may be split between two recipients, and that he would recommend that PM Singh take into consideration "both price and quality". India had no "confrontation" with the US on outer space, and nothing stood in the way of further cooperation and this could fill the void left by the completion of the civil nuclear cooperation agreement.

M K Narayanan's removal as NSA changed Indias policy on Kashmir: Roemer

NEW DELHI: M K Narayanan's removal as the National Security Adviser in January 2010 was described as a positive development by the US which considered his views on Kashmir as obstructionist. In a cable to the US State Department, WikiLeaks revealed, US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer said that India's Kashmir policy became "more consolidated" under the "more forward leaning Home Minister P Chidambaram". According to Roemer, Narayanan's exit was a "plus side" as he played a "dominant, conservative and often obstructive role in GoI policy on Kashmir." Roemer noted that Narayanan could have his way because of his intelligence background and excellent rapport with the Nehru-Gandhi family. "The exit of MK Narayanan from the National Security Advisor position in the Prime Minister's Office has potentially important implications for India policy on Kashmir," the ambassador observed in a cable on February 1 last year. The communication is part of the over 2.5 lakh cables released by WikiLeaks. "Narayanan's natural

instinct on Kashmir (and Pakistan) was cautious, conservative, and obstructionist," Roemer said. The ambassador observed that with Narayanan's departure, Chidambaram will become the primary source of decision-making on Kashmir. "In the last six months, he (Chidambaram) has shown that he is willing to be a risk-taker on this intractable issue," Roemer said. Former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon took over as the National Security Adviser on January 23, 2010, after Narayanan was appointed Governor of West Bengal. But the ambassador wanted his government to take a cautious approach as he felt that any "activism" in Kashmir could prove counterproductive. "Any hint of USG (United States Government) activism in Kashmir, however helpful the intentions behind it, will prove counterproductive because of the GoI's (Government of India) hypersensitivity to third party involvement in Kashmir," the ambassador had said. "In order for GOI's efforts to restore sustainable peace and stability in Kashmir to succeed, its engagement with the separatists and with the Kashmiri people must be free of any perception of outside influence," the ambassador said. Roemer had outlined a slew of measures that the Indian government should take to make progress on resolution of Kashmir issue, particularly the internal dimensions, but warned against making these "prescriptive" in nature. In the list of 20 suggestions, he had said that the Centre should ensure that dialogue with separatists achieves results and the generous development spending in Jammu and Kashmir should continue. Roemer had also outlined the importance of holding panchayat elections in the state at the earliest saying "the record turnout in the assembly and parliamentary elections shows that Kashmiris want to participate in the democratic process." He also suggested that government should release selected prisoners who are not hardcore militants and do not pose any serious threat but have been incarcerated for years.

US felt Telengana 'surrender' harmed Congress' image

NEW DELHI: By "surrendering" to the Telangana statehood demand, the Congress opened a can of worms and came across as a party that appeared "weak and feeble" and one that can be "easily bullied and intimidated by threats", according to US assessment of the situation in 2009. In a secret cable written on December 10, 2009, then US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer said the ramifications of the "Telangana surrender" may go beyond Andhra Pradesh as similar demands that were simmering are likely to get a fresh impetus from the Telangana movement's "overnight success". Writing the cable a day after Home Minister P Chidambaram announced the formation of a Telangana state, Roemer said the Congress is likely to be faced with a floodgate of similar demands from other statehood movements across the country and the decision has created a split within its own party. "...it appears to come across as weak and feeble, a party that can be easily bullied and intimidated by threats just six month after winning a decisive electoral mandate," the cable, which has now been released by WikiLeaks, said. Roemer also termed the Government's decision as a "huge success" for the then fasting K Chandrasekhar Rao and the TRS, a party with "just two members currently in the Lok Sabha and only six in the state assembly, picking and winning the confrontation with the UPA represents a huge success." The cable also said the Indian Government "abruptly caved" on December 9 and gave the go-ahead for formation of Telangana on the 11th day of Rao's hunger strike. By conceding on Telangana, Roemer wrote, the Congress has potentially opened up a can of worms which was just emerging from the crisis it faced following the death of its Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in September, 2009.

Rahul Gandhi widely viewed as empty suit: US cable

NEW DELHI: A 2008 US cable noted that not much was known of Rahul Gandhi's political beliefs and that he has avoided making a significant intervention in Parliament. "Little is known about Rahul Gandhi's personal political beliefs, if any. He is reticent in public, has

shunned the spotlight and has yet to make any significant intervention in Parliament. His singular foray to centerstage during the UP elections was unremarkable," it said. "He is widely viewed as an empty suit and will have to prove wrong those who dismiss him as a lightweight. To do so, he will have to demonstrate determination, depth, savvy and stamina. He will need to develop his own networks of loyalists and operators," the cable said. He will need to engage with coalition allies and cross words with the opposition. In sum, he will need to get his hands dirty in the untidy and ruthless business that is Indian politics. The US cable noted, "Relying solely on family inheritance may get him the top job but it will not be enough to make for a successful long-term political career in India." As for the younger MPs who had been promoted, they were "smart, articulate and energetic". "Their ascension makes for a good story-line. Their achievement and success during the last three and a half years, however, has been modest. In order to succeed in the next election, the Congress party will need to do more than simply don a younger face," the cable said.

India worried about China machismo, PM told US

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told US secretary of state in a meeting in 2009 that India was bothered by the "recent assertiveness of China", says a Wikileaks cable. Singh also expressed concern about the US-China joint statement during President Barack Obama's visit to China that year, saying it had created the impression back home that there would be "outside interference" in South Asia that would not be acceptable. India too wants to see the peaceful rise of China, Singh said. He noted that they had been engaged for the past five years through special representatives to discuss border issues. "Both sides agreed to maintain peace and tranquility, but Singh noted India was bothered by the recent assertiveness of China," says the cable, dated December 4, 2009. Clinton had responded by saying that the US wanted good Sino-Indian ties, and Beijing to be successful without acting as a threat to its neighbours and the rest of the world. She added that the US also had an interest in encouraging China to persuade Pakistan to confront internal threats. "We would also look to India for guidance in the region, she said. The secretary added that China's

interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan were mostly economic, citing its copper mine operations in Afghanistan as a prime example,"says the cable. Discussing Afghanistan, Singh said if the international community did not stay the course in Afghanistan, terrorist elements would conclude that they had defeated the Soviets and now the US in Afghanistan, which would have "disastrous consequences" for peace and security in west, central and south Asia. Singh noted that the new government in Afghanistan had its shortcomings (a poor governance record and corruption), but it was important for the international community to support the regime. Singh added that it would take time for democracy to take hold in Afghanistan, and there would only be modest returns in the short term.Wikileaks: Worried about China machismo, PM told US

Pranab Mukherjee acting PM during Singh's surgery

Although no "number two" was notified when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underwent multiple heart bypass in early 2009, US diplomats were told that finance minister Pranab Mukherjee was "acting PM", according to a WikiLeaks cable. The cable added that Mukherjee and defence minister A K Antony were obvious candidates for the PM's job if Singh was not "up to it". At the time, Mukherjee was seen as number two as he would head Cabinet meetings but there was no formal word - thought to be a conscious Congress decision. In fact, it was Antony who took the customary salute at Amar Jawan Jyoti that January 26.

David Coleman Headley extradition a farce?

NEW DELHI: The UPA government may have been posturing and not demanding extradition of Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley from the US two years ago, says a cable by American Ambassador Timothy J Roemer to the US State Department, according to WikiLeaks. Roemer said former National Security Advisor MK Narayanan had suggested to him that the government was actually not keen on the extradition issue but wanted to be seen doing so. Narayanan had told him that it was "difficult not to be seen making the effort," but that the government was not seeking extradition "at this time". Reacting to the news report, Narayanan, who is now governor of West Bengal said that India was indeed looking for Headley's extradition and

reports to the contrary were untrue. In the leaked cable, where Roemer was seeking New Delhi's commitment to not request Headley's extradition, Narayanan had said India would be "in the hot seat" if it were seen as pre-emptively relinquishing extradition of one of the main accused in the 26/11 attacks. "He (Roemer) explained that the threat of extradition to India could cause Headley's cooperation to dry up, but that allowing the US judicial process to unfold or securing a plea agreement that both reflects his overall culpability and ensures his continued cooperation would maximize our ability to obtain further information from Headley," the leaked cable said. Roemer highlighted the "unprecedented effort to share intelligence in the case of Headley and conveyed that we (the US) were following up on questions and requests that arose from the information we had already provided in the case," the cable said. "He (Roemer) stressed that the Indian government's discretion in protecting this sensitive information was of critical importance, calling attention to recent media speculation containing details of the FBI briefing sourced to unnamed Indian government officials, which could compromise our ability to obtain further cooperation and information from Headley," the cable added. Reacting to this, the NSA had said that he understood and dismissed the media reports as "preposterous". Roemer also explained to Narayanan that "furthermore, if Headley were convicted, an extradition request by India would not be considered until his sentence in the United States was fully served, which could be decades, if ever."

Manmohan Singh, Musharraf came close to striking Kashmir deal: WikiLeaks

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan had through "back channels" agreed to a non-territorial solution to Kashmir under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, reveals a latest WikiLeaks cable. According to the US embassy cable - dated April 21, 2009 - Singh confirmed this to a visiting US delegation, led by then House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman in April, 2009, saying that the solution included free trade and movement across LoC. Singh told the US delegation that Delhi and Islamabad had made great progress prior to February 2007, when President Musharraf ran into trouble. "We had reached an understanding in back

channels," he related, says the cable, in which Musharraf had agreed to a non-territorial solution to Kashmir. Singh went on to add that India wanted a strong, stable, peaceful, democratic Pakistan and makes no claim on "even an inch" of Pakistani territory. Singh's comments authenticate Musharraf's assertions last year that India and Pakistan had reached that stage, where they were preparing the final draft for the resolution. He had said the two sides shared drafts through "back channels", and these were in keeping with the four-point template which he had envisaged to resolve the issue. Singh, too, mentions in the cable that the two sides had arrived at the solution through back channels. Musharraf's four points included demilitarization, maximum autonomy, making border irrelevant and joint management of the area. Later, however, Pakistani government rejected the formula, saying that it was Musharraf's personal line of thinking that lacked endorsement either by Pakistani parliament or cabinet. Singh, though, does not make any direct reference to Musharraf's template in the WikiLeak cable. Musharraf had said, unlike in the case with PM Vajpayee, it was actually with Singh that Pakistan moved towards an agreement over the issue. Reminding Berman and other US delegates that India had lost more than 150 of its citizens in the Mumbai attacks, Singh said it would be possible to resume dialogue only if Pakistan would "behave as a civilized country and bring the perpetrators to justice". "Now, Pakistani leaders had to stick by commitments made to PM Vajpayee and repeated to PM Singh in 2005 that they would not permit attacks on India launched from Pakistani soil. If so, huge trade opportunities awaited, according to the Prime Minister, who added that a strong Indian constituency favoured normalized relations," the cable says. Recalling the July, 2008, attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, Singh asserted that it had been carried out "with the active encouragement" of Pakistan's ISI and that he had raised the issue with President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.