The 40 Indians are suspected to have been kept in captivity by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants at two different locations near Mosul. Sources within the security establishment said contact channels are being established with Saudis to get more information on state of the abductees, to establish the abductors are from ISIS and not some other outfit, the intention of the abductors and eventually putting pressure on them through Riyadh to release the Indians.
"The government has already said it would leave no stone unturned to secure the release of Indians in captivity. Various channels, including with Saudi Arabia, have been opened," said a security establishment officer.
In the past few years, Saudi Arabia, in the backdrop of al-Qaida targeting its regime, has helped India nab terrorists hiding in its country. In 2012, Riyadh proved a great help to Indian agencies in bringing to book 26/11 accused Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who was then hiding in that country.
The biggest problem plaguing the rescue of abducted Indians in Iraq is that very little information is trickling to the Indian intelligence agencies about the state and fate of the abductees. Agencies as yet are not fully sure if it's ISIS or a tribal militia, which holds parts of the region intermittently, or some administrative unit affiliated to ISIS which is holding the Indians captive.
All the information is coming through the Iraq government and international agencies which have limited access in the region. In terms of capability, India's chances are poor given that it has to depend on "someone who knows someone", says security expert Ajai Sahni of Institute for Conflict Management.
Former RAW officer Jayant Umranikar says, "We have no capability in the region to execute a rescue operation in Iraq on our own. Putting pressure on the militants there through Saudi Arabia is a good idea but there too we need the help of the US."
Umranikar warns that the task is not going to be easy as ISIS is not a homogenous entity. "They have a cohesive military but they are not known to be region-holding party. They loot and scoot. So we have to find out whom to negotiate with," he says.
Sahni says India has to keep all options open as it has no idea what is happening there. "We can't sit back and think that Indians there are safe as some have been allowed to talk to their relatives back home and said they are safe. We don't even know for sure who we are dealing with and what are their intentions," he says.
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