More than four decades have passed since Operation Blue Star in June 1984. But as historians and experts revisit the operation, a growing body of evidence suggests that the crisis was not merely an internal conflict—it was also shaped by a complex web of foreign interference, with Pakistan playing a central and calculated role.
While the immediate objective of the operation was to quell a rising insurgency demanding Khalistan, the broader geopolitical context tells a more nuanced story. Behind the scenes, Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was actively fueling the flames of separatism, offering arms, training, and ideological support to Sikh militants.
Strategic Destabilization
Pakistan’s involvement in the Khalistan movement dates back to the late 1970s and gained significant momentum in the 1980s. Viewing Sikh militancy as a lever to destabilize India, the ISI turned Punjab’s unrest into a proxy battleground. According to multiple former Indian military and intelligence officials, including Lt Gen Kuldip Singh Brar—who led the assault on the Golden Temple—Pakistan’s support was anything but passive.
“Pakistan was deeply involved. They sent weapons, they trained the militants, they even used narcotics money to fund operations,” Brar has stated. His assertions are backed by former militants, such as Kuljinder Dhillon, who recall how fighters within the temple complex believed Pakistani intervention was imminent during the siege.
Reports suggest that smuggling routes through Kashmir and Gujarat were used by Pakistani intelligence operatives to ferry arms into India. These networks were well-organized and operated under ISI direction, providing logistical support and even coordinating acts of sabotage.
The Shadow of Hamid Gul
A key architect of this covert campaign was Lt Gen Hamid Gul, the ISI chief from 1987 to 1989, known for his hawkish views on India. Gul openly regarded Punjab’s instability as a strategic asset.
“Keeping Punjab destabilized is equivalent to the Pakistan army having an extra division at no cost to the taxpayers,” Gul once said, as quoted by Indian intelligence expert B Raman.
Propaganda War
Beyond physical support, Pakistan’s efforts extended into the psychological arena. Intelligence sources and recent reports indicate that Pakistani authorities have used religious pilgrimages as an opportunity to stoke anti-India sentiment. Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistani shrines have been shown videos of Operation Blue Star—portrayed in a highly emotional and inflammatory manner—alongside promises of support for separatist aspirations.
This form of psychological warfare has been part of a sustained effort to keep the Khalistan movement alive, especially among diaspora communities.
A Calculated Geopolitical Move
Pakistan’s interest in Punjab’s unrest was part of a larger geopolitical strategy to counterbalance Indian influence, especially in Kashmir. By opening a second front in Punjab, the ISI hoped to divide India’s military focus and stretch its internal security apparatus thin.
The low-cost nature of this intervention—no need to commit formal troops or declare open hostility—made it a preferred tactic for Pakistan’s military establishment. In the process, Sikh militancy was internationalized, and India’s internal struggle became enmeshed in its volatile relationship with its western neighbor.
Legacy and Tensions
The revelations about Pakistan’s involvement add a layer to the understanding of the conflict, underscoring the external manipulation of domestic unrest.
As India continues to grapple with cross-border threats, the lessons from 1984 remain relevant. The evidence is clear: while Operation Blue Star was executed on Indian soil, it unfolded in the shadow of a foreign intelligence agenda.
The echoes of that turbulent period still reverberate in Indo-Pakistani relations, a reminder that the line between internal unrest and external aggression is often blurred in the geopolitics of South Asia.
