Former Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha has warned that India must brace for the mounting possibility of a two-front terror threat emerging from both Pakistan and Bangladesh, urging heightened vigilance, intelligence preparedness, and military deterrence.
In an exclusive interview with UNI on Monday, Raha said the “probability” of a coordinated or near-simultaneous terror challenge from both fronts is increasing in the current geopolitical climate.
“A terror attack from two fronts is a probability which is increasing, and we have to guard against it,” he cautioned.
Raha described India as “an oasis in a desert of instability,” noting that its stronger economy and stable political system contrast sharply with the turbulence gripping the wider neighbourhood.
“The rest of this region is suffering from instability, both political and economic,” the former air chief who also heads defense think tank SENERS-K said.
Recalling past skirmishes with Pakistan-backed terror groups, he warned that Bangladesh, too, is witnessing an ideological shift.
“Bangladesh is turning towards fundamentalism ever since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime,” he noted, adding that India must consider the “consequences and the possibility of a two-front terror attack.”
Calling for sharper intelligence coordination and a more proactive posture, the former Air Chief said agencies must be equipped and empowered to detect and dismantle threats early.
“We need good intelligence. We also need good preparedness for our security forces,” he stressed.
Raha emphasised that India, despite a successful strike against Pakistan through Operation Sindoor, which he praised, must avoid drifting into recurrent skirmishes or open conflict, but simultaneously remain militarily prepared for all contingencies.
“Deterrence will be the key,” he said, underscoring that credible defensive and offensive readiness remains central to preventing any such escalation.
