Who is Ajit Doval, spymaster who 'negotiated' release of 155 hostages during IC 814 hijacking in 1999?
Ajit Doval, India's current National Security Advisor, played a crucial role in negotiating the release of 155 hostages during the 1999 IC 814 hijacking in Kandahar. Then the Chief of the Intelligence Bureau, Doval's strategic acumen was vital to the mission. His career includes significant contributions to India's national security, including the 2016 surgical strike and 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
Netflix's recently released web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has ignited public interest, not only for its gripping storyline but also for a controversial scene that depicts terrorists using "Hindu names" as code words. This particular portrayal has sparked significant backlash on social media. Amid the controversy, a viral photo of the real officials who were involved in the 1999 IC 814 hijacking negotiations has brought the spotlight back on Ajit Doval, a pivotal figure in the rescue operation.
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During the 1999 IC 814 hijacking, Ajit Doval, then the Chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), played a crucial role in the negotiations conducted by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Doval was part of the team sent to Kandahar to negotiate with the hijackers, working alongside Joint Secretary Vivek Katju and CD Sahay from the Cabinet Secretariat.
His deep expertise and strategic thinking were instrumental in the talks. Today, Ajit Doval serves as India's National Security Advisor (NSA), a position that underscores his longstanding dedication to national security. Below is a look at his extensive career as a top bureaucrat and intelligence officer.
Who is Ajit Doval?
Ajit Kumar Doval is the fifth and current National Security Advisor (NSA) to the Prime Minister of India. A retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Kerala cadre, Doval is a seasoned intelligence and law enforcement official. Born in Uttarakhand in 1945, he distinguished himself early in his career by becoming the youngest police officer in India to be awarded the Kirti Chakra, a prestigious gallantry award typically reserved for military personnel.
Doval's role in India's national security landscape is extensive. He oversaw the September 2016 surgical strike and the February 2019 Balakot airstrikes in Pakistan, which were executed under his guidance. His involvement in resolving the Doklam standoff and his decisive actions against insurgencies in Northeast India further highlight his commitment to safeguarding the nation.
Doval began his police career in 1968 as an IPS officer, with significant involvement in anti-insurgency operations in Mizoram and Punjab. He gained national prominence as one of the key negotiators during the IC 814 hijacking in Kandahar in 1999. Throughout his career, Doval successfully managed to resolve at least 15 hijacking incidents involving Indian Airlines aircraft between 1971 and 1999.
An undercover operative for seven years in Pakistan, Doval gathered critical intelligence on militant groups active in the region. His intelligence-gathering skills were honed during his one-year stint as a secret agent, followed by six years of service at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Doval was also instrumental in gathering intelligence for Operation Blue Star in 1984, which aimed to counter the Khalistani militancy. In 1990, he traveled to Kashmir, where he convinced militants to switch sides and become counter-insurgents, which played a significant role in facilitating the Jammu & Kashmir elections in 1996.
Ajit Doval spent much of his career in active field intelligence, serving with the Intelligence Bureau (IB). His legacy includes numerous awards, honors, and a reputation for taking a hardline approach against militancy and terrorism.
After retiring in 2000, Doval became the founding director of the Vivekananda International Foundation, a think tank focused on national security and international relations. In 2014, he led a top-secret mission to Iraq, ensuring the safe release of 46 Indian nurses trapped in a hospital in Tikrit. His quick response and strategic connections within the Iraqi government allowed him to orchestrate their return to India on July 5, 2014.
Doval also played a pivotal role in a successful military operation in Myanmar, alongside then-Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, targeting National Socialist Council of Nagaland militants operating from across the border. In 2019, he was reappointed as National Security Advisor for another five years, receiving a Cabinet rank during the second term of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
What was Ajit Doval's role in the IC 814 hijacking rescue mission?
As per an NDTV report, the 1999 release of Masood Azhar, in exchange for 155 hostages from the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC 814, was a complex and high-stakes operation involving several senior officials. Ajit Doval, who was then an Additional Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), played a significant but not widely understood role. Contrary to some reports, Doval was not on the flight to Kandahar with the released terrorists. Instead, he was already stationed in Kandahar with another IB officer, Nehchal Sandhu, as part of the negotiating team working with the Taliban to secure the release of the hostages.
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack - Reviews and Discussions
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A group of young Indian Police Service officers, including future CBI director AP Singh and Ranjit Narayan, accompanied the three terrorists on the flight, ensuring their safety and handling the delicate exchange. The mission was fraught with dangers, including the risk of a hostage, who was a R&AW officer, being identified and harmed by the hijackers.
Upon landing in Kandahar, the officers had to wait while Taliban officials finished their prayers before the negotiations could proceed. The hostages, who had endured a week of captivity, were in dire straits, and the officers had to carefully manage the handover of the terrorists to ensure the hostages' safe release. Although Doval did not return with the freed passengers, his role in the negotiations on the ground was critical.
In the Netflix series, actors like Pankaj Kapur and Naseeruddin Shah portray negotiators, capturing the tense and complex situation of the 1999 hijacking, where Doval's real-life contributions were key to the mission's success.
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Kumar Debvrat is a copyeditor at Indiatimes. He writes about trending topics in India, from human-interest stories to cricket. He has a sharp eye for detail and a passion for storytelling.