Archive · 8 Nov 2025
Ex-CIA Officer: Indira Gandhi Rejected India-Israel Plan to Bomb Pakistan Nuclear Site
A former spy named Richard Barlow said that India and Israel thought about working together to bomb Pakistan's nuclear place in the 1980s.
He believes this plan would have been good and stopped Pakistan from making bombs.
However, Barlow says India's leader back then, Indira Gandhi, did not agree to the plan.
He also mentioned that the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, would not have liked it either.
This is because America was secretly helping fighters in Afghanistan at the time, and they didn't want anything to mess up that plan.
Pakistan knew the US needed their help in Afghanistan and used it to protect themselves.
Another report suggests a different Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, also stopped a similar plan and even told Pakistan about it.
Barlow thinks it's a shame the attack didn't happen.
The Kahuta facility was important for Pakistan's nuclear program.
Former CIA Officer Richard Barlow revealed a proposed joint India-Israel plan in the early 1980s to destroy Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility.
Barlow claims the plan was not approved by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and calls her decision a 'shame' that prevented 'solving a lot of problems'.
The US under President Ronald Reagan allegedly would not have supported the strike due to concerns about its impact on the covert war in Afghanistan.
Reports suggest Pakistan used its cooperation in Afghanistan as leverage to protect its nuclear program.
An alternative account from the Congress party claims the Morarji Desai government, not Gandhi's, halted a similar operation, with Desai reportedly revealing knowledge of the facility to Pakistan.
- Who
- Former CIA Officer Richard Barlow, former Indian Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Morarji Desai, India, Israel, Pakistan, US President Ronald Reagan, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission head Munir Ahmad Khan
- What
- Claims and counter-claims regarding a secret proposed joint India-Israel strike on Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility in the early 1980s, which was allegedly not approved.
- When
- Early 1980s (mentioned period for the proposed strike), with commentary on US actions until 1989 and Pakistan's nuclear tests in 1998.
- Where
- Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility
- Why
- Barlow states the strike would have stopped Pakistan's nuclear program; alternative claims suggest the Desai government blocked a similar operation. US opposition was due to concerns about the Afghan war. Pakistan used its role in Afghanistan as leverage.
Richard Barlow's Account
Alternative Perspectives and Context
Approval of the Strike
Richard Barlow's Account
Former CIA Officer Richard Barlow claims that former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not approve a proposed joint India-Israel preemptive strike on Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility.
Alternative Perspectives and Context
The Congress party accused the Morarji Desai government of stopping a similar 'Operation Kahuta,' with Desai reportedly denying approval and even revealing knowledge of the facility to Pakistan's General Zia.
US Involvement and Concerns
Richard Barlow's Account
Barlow stated that the US under President Ronald Reagan would not have supported such an operation, especially one involving Israel, due to concerns about disrupting America’s war efforts in Afghanistan.
Alternative Perspectives and Context
Pakistan, through figures like Munir Ahmad Khan, reportedly used its support for the US in Afghanistan as leverage, warning that stopping aid could harm cooperation.
Motivation for the Strike
Richard Barlow's Account
Barlow suggested that the proposed covert operation aimed to stop Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program before it became a major threat and that its failure was a 'shame' because it would have 'solved a lot of problems'.
Alternative Perspectives and Context
The strike's objective was to prevent Pakistan from developing nuclear weapons or transferring nuclear technology to countries like Iran, which Israel considered a serious threat.
- Source
- ANI Broadcast / News18.com
- Speaker
- Richard Barlow, Former CIA Counterproliferation Officer
- Alleged Plan
- Joint India-Israel preemptive strike on Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility
- Timeframe
- Early 1980s (during Barlow's tenure or awareness within CIA)
- Alleged Non-Approver (Barlow's claim)
- Indira Gandhi (former Prime Minister of India)
- Alleged Non-Approver (Congress claim)
- Morarji Desai (former Prime Minister of India)
- US Concerns Mentioned by Barlow
- Interference with the covert war in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union; avoidance of Israeli involvement
- Pakistan's Leverage
- Used its support in Afghanistan to counter potential aid cessation
Sources
'It was a Muslim bomb': Ex-CIA officer says intel community saw nukes being mounted on Pakistan's F-16s
Pakistan Developed Nuclear Weapons To Counter India: Ex CIA Officer
Ex-CIA Officer's Claim On Secret India-Israel Plan To Strike Pak Nuke Site
US Ignored Pakistan's Nuclear Program Despite Warnings: Ex-CIA Officer
Pakistan Built Nuclear Weapons To Counter India, Says Ex-CIA Officer
'Shame': Ex-CIA Official Says Indira Gandhi Didn't Approve Strike On Pakistan’s Nuclear Facility
Clandestine nuclear activities in keeping with Pakistan’s history: MEA
Indira Gandhi didn't approve India-Israel plan to bomb Pakistan’s Kahuta nuclear site, claims ex-CIA officer
