“I discovered my father was on the flight,” says S. Jaishankar while handling 1984 crisis

Jaishankar recounted the moment he found out about his father’s presence on the flight: “Four hours into the hijacking, I discovered that my father was on that flight.” He described the dual role he was forced to play—handling the crisis on an official level while simultaneously dealing with personal anxieties about his family. “I called my mother to say I couldn’t come home because of the hijacking,” he explained. “It was only then that I learned my father was on the flight.”

K. Subrahmanyam, who was then the Director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), faced a critical situation as he required urgent medical attention for his diabetes. The crisis was further exacerbated when the hijackers threatened to kill one passenger every half hour unless their demands were met. Fortunately, negotiations led by UAE officials, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, were successful, and all passengers were safely released.

Reflecting on the Netflix series “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,” which dramatizes a separate 1999 hijacking incident, Jaishankar noted, “I haven’t seen the film, so I don’t want to comment.” However, he criticized how such portrayals often simplify complex situations and government responses, offering only a hero’s perspective rather than capturing the full reality.

Jaishankar’s father, who passed away in 2011, significantly influenced India’s nuclear policy, advocating for a “no first use” doctrine and the development of a credible nuclear deterrent. The 1984 hijacking remains a significant personal and professional memory for Jaishankar, marking a period where his professional duties intersected with deeply personal concerns.