New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) After the success of “The Spy Chronicles”, AS Dulat and Asad Durrani — the ex-spy chiefs of India and Pakistan — have now joined hands for its sequel “Covert: The Psychology of War and Peace”, which they co-wrote with psychiatrist Neil K Aggarwal.
The book, scheduled to release on April 29, takes the reader right into the head of the two spymasters as it delves into their personal and professional trajectories that moulded them in the early years. It is published by Harper Collins India.
In what was billed as a one-of-its-kind book, the two former spy chiefs in “The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace”, released in 2018, touched upon some thorny issues between the neighbouring countries, including terrorism, particularly the 2008 Mumbai attack, Kashmir and the influence of intelligence agencies.
“In 2021, Sundeep Waslekar’s offer to get General Durrani and me to join in a discussion on ‘The Spy Chronicles’, moderated by Neil K. Aggarwal, led to this book on ‘The Psychology of War and Peace’, which has virtually turned out to be Part 2 of ‘The Spy Chronicles’.
“… I have known and engaged with General Saheb for some years now, but it has been a fascinating interaction with Neil. One can lie to the world, but not to oneself — and to a psychiatrist, even less!” Dulat said in a statement.
Moderated by Aggarwal, the discussion in the book turns to the domain of international relations, exploring why the governments of India and Pakistan collaborate in certain areas, but not in others.
What emerges is a forthright, honest appraisal of the peacebuilding process between the two nations that appear inherently hostile to each other but share so much in terms of history and cultural identity, informed the publishers.
“‘The Spy Chronicles’ itself was like a bolt from the blue: two former intelligence chiefs from chronically hostile countries, joining hands and banging heads to make some sense of our bilateral madness, was nothing short of a potential train wreck. And when Dr Aggarwal got us together to compose this book and pampered us as peace psychologists, it must have been an irony of history,” added Durrani.
The dialogues in “Covert” reveal a deep camaraderie between Dulat and Durrani, who have headed the intelligence operations for their respective countries. But more importantly it claims to provide deep insights into the shadowy world of negotiation and subterfuge.
According to the publishers, it is an “eye-opener” and a “must-read” for anyone invested in peace and amity in South Asia.
“Circumstances have prevented Dulat and Gen Durrani from meeting in person for years. But aided by the technology of video conferencing, in ‘Covert’ they speak to a masterful interlocutor, Neil K. Aggarwal, about India, about Pakistan, about what holds the two nations together and what tears them apart, and the psychology behind it all,” said Udayan Mitra, executive publisher, HarperCollins.
While Durrani has also written “Honour Among Spies” (2020), Dulat’s previously authored books include “Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years” (2015) and “A Life in the Shadows” (2022).
“Covert: The Psychology of War and Peace” is currently available for pre-order online. PTI MG RDS RDS RDS
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