NEW DELHI: After unarmed Indian citizens, Indian diplomats in Afghanistan are now under threat from Pakistan-supported terrorists.
According to government sources, India has received "credible" intelligence inputs on a terrorist plot to abduct Indian diplomats.
Coming against the backdrop of a determined effort by ISI to terrorise India into withdrawing from Afghanistan, India has taken the threat seriously, rushing 40 ITBP personnel to ramp up security of its diplomatic corps in Afghanistan.
The diplomats, an eyesore for Pakistan since their effort to rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure has enhanced India's appeal in the country Islamabad considers its backyard, have been asked to be vigilant.
While Indian officials have been under constant threat in Afghanistan, the recent spate of intelligence inputs comes in the wake of the February 25 attack on Indians in Kabul.
The fear is also because of the track record of Pakistan-backed terror groups. Several years ago, they had massacred members of Iran's mission in Afghanistan.
An Indian diplomat in Afghanistan would be a huge prize for the Taliban and their Pakistani handlers, sources said.
Apart from everything else, it would create the kind of diplomatic crisis between India and Pakistan that would serve as a pretext for Pakistan to take its attention off the Taliban and the US campaign.
India sees the threat as coming principally from Pakistan's terror groups like the Haqqani network and the Lashkar-e-Taiba which are being used against India.
The Haqqanis are Pakistan's favourite Taliban group. Pakistan's army, seeing a growing advantage for itself in Afghanistan, is now more determined than ever to get India out of that country. After two attempts to attack the Indian embassy in Kabul, the Taliban have been training their sights on Indian consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad.
Since the Indian embassy in Kabul is deemed to be reasonably secure, the additional personnel will be deployed in nearby areas with guesthouses and other residential quarters being used by Indian officials and their family members.
A senior official said, "A team of security/intelligence officials will soon go to Afghanistan to make detailed assessment of security arrangements at Indian establishments in Kabul, Kandahar and other cities. More forces will be sent, if needed, in due course."
At present, 163 ITBP personnel are deployed at the Indian embassy in Kabul and its consulates in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif.