ISI-MSS NEXUS FUELS ARSA JIHADIST SURGE IN BANGLADESH & MYANMAR

The shifting dynamics of South Asia have increasingly drawn global attention to the covert operations orchestrated by Sino-Pakistani alliances. Of particular concern is their role in strengthening the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group operating in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

- NISHAKANT OJHA

The activities of this nexus have far-reaching implications for India's national security, demanding a nuanced and comprehensive response.

BACKGROUND ON ARSA AND ITS OPERATIONS

ARSA, formerly known as Harakah al-Yaqin, has emerged as an armed insurgent group claiming to defend the rights of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Despite its stated objectives, ARSA's operations have frequently aligned with extremist ideologies.

The group has been linked to attacks on Myanmar's military and police installations, triggering large-scale crackdowns and exacerbating the Rohingya refugee crisis in neighboring Bangladesh.

Recent intelligence reports reveal ARSA's growing influence within the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Through violence and intimidation, the group has established recruitment networks and turned refugee camps like Tambru's Konapara into operational hubs for arms smuggling, training, and drug trafficking, particularly the yaba trade.

These activities have made the camps focal points of both regional instability and transnational crime.

PAKISTAN'S ROLE: HISTORICAL AND STRATEGIC CONTEXT

Pakistan's history of supporting extremist groups through its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is well-documented. Extending this strategy to ARSA serves multiple objectives:

1. Destabilizing India's Northeast: By fostering instability in Myanmar and Bangladesh, Pakistan indirectly threatens India's already insurgency-prone northeastern states.

2. Undermining Bangladesh: With lingering animosity from the 1971 Liberation War, Pakistan exploits existing fault lines in Bangladesh to destabilize the region.

3. Championing Islamic Solidarity: ARSA's operations allow Pakistan to present itself as a defender of Muslim causes, strengthening its influence over jihadist networks.