NSA hints at blurring of state, non-state actor lines in Pak

NEW DELHI: In a veiled but significant reference to Pakistan’s policy of using terror as an instrument of state policy, NSA Shivshankar Menon said on Saturday that non-state actors are performing state functions. The remark assumes significance also in the light of US recently accusing Pakistan’s ISI of using the Haqqani network as its "veritable arm’’.
"I say this from the experience of my job, 60% of what I look at and deal with is not states dealing with states.We see it immediately in our own neighbourhood," he said while addressing a seminar on international relations.
"Today where do you draw the distinction in the whole spectrum of this conflict, in terrorism, state sponsored terrorism...the so called non-state actors perform state functions. And they act for states,’’ he added.
Menon said there has been a structural shift in the nature of power. "And that has not happened in this scale for a very long time," Menon said noting that it has "democratized" power in a sense. Speaking further on the changing power situation in the world, Menon said besides technology of destruction, non-traditional security factors such as food and energy security were also the catalyst for change.
"Some people say we are now in post-nuclear age but certainly in an age where tactical and at operational levels, symmetry works. So you see power in the hands of small group of individuals which never was the case before," he said.
Menon said India needs to anchor this shift in balance of power towards itself. The NSA also stressed on the need to develop an Indian way of looking at international relations.