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{{Short description|1999 Indian aircraft hijacking}}
{{good article}}
{{redirect|IC 814|the 2024 Netflix web series based on these events|IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name            = Indian Airlines Flight 814
| image           = KandaharHijacking.jpg
| alt             = 
| caption         = The hijacked plane at [[Kandahar International Airport|Kandahar]] with [[Taliban]] men in the foreground
| occurrence_type = Hijacking
| date            = 24 December 1999 – 31 December 1999
| summary         = [[Aircraft hijacking|Hijacking]]
| site            = Hijacked in Indian airspace en-route from [[Kathmandu]] to [[Delhi]]; Later landed at [[Amritsar]], [[Lahore]], [[Dubai]] and [[Kandahar]]
| coordinates     = 
| plane1_image    = Airbus A300B2-101, Indian Airlines AN0133884.jpg
| plane1_caption  = The aircraft involved, VT-EDW, seen a few days after the hijacking
| aircraft_type   = [[Airbus A300|Airbus A300B2-101]]
| operator        = [[Indian Airlines]]
| plane1_IATA     = IC814
| plane1_ICAO     = IAC814
| plane1_callsign = INDAIR 814
| tail_number     = VT-EDW
| origin          = [[Tribhuvan International Airport]]
| destination     = [[Indira Gandhi International Airport]]
| passengers      = 179 (including 5 hijackers)
| crew            = 11
| injuries        = 17
| fatalities      = 1
| survivors       = 189
| occupants       = 190
}}

'''Indian Airlines Flight 814''', commonly known as '''IC 814''', was an [[Indian Airlines]] [[Airbus A300]] that was [[Aircraft hijacking|hijacked]] on 24 December 1999 by five members of [[Harkat-ul-Mujahideen]]. The passenger flight, en route from [[Tribhuvan International Airport|Kathmandu]] to [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]], was taken over shortly after it entered Indian airspace at about 16:53 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]. The aircraft had 190 occupants: 179 passengers and 11 crew members including [[Pilot in command|Captain]] Devi Sharan, [[First officer (aviation)|First Officer]] Rajinder Kumar, and [[Flight engineer|Flight Engineer]] Anil Kumar Jaggia.

The aircraft was flown to [[Amritsar airport|Amritsar]], [[Lahore Airport|Lahore]], and [[Al Minhad Air Base|Dubai]]. While in Dubai, the hijackers released 27 passengers plus the body of a male hostage who had been stabbed by the hijackers multiple times. Later, on 25 December, the hijackers forced the aircraft to land in [[Kandahar airport|Kandahar]] in [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Afghanistan]]. At the time, most of Afghanistan, including the Kandahar airport, was under the control of the [[Taliban]]. External intervention was hindered by Taliban men encircling the aircraft, and by the presence of two officers from the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] of Pakistan. On 27 December after two days of internal discussions, the [[Indian Government]] sent a team of negotiators headed by Vivek Katju from the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]], which included officials [[Ajit Doval]] and [[C.D. Sahay]]. After days of negotiations, India agreed to release three men it had imprisoned for terrorism{{snd}}[[Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh]], [[Masood Azhar]] and [[Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar]]{{snd}}in exchange for the hostages.

The hostage crisis ended on 31 December when the passengers and crew were released after the Indian government handed the three prisoners over to the Taliban. Despite Indian expectations that the three former prisoners and the hijackers would be arrested, the men were driven to the Pakistan border and released, and they have since been suspected of involvement in other terrorism-related incidents such as the [[2001 Indian Parliament attack]], 2002 kidnapping and murder of [[Daniel Pearl]], [[2016 Pathankot attack]] and the [[2019 Pulwama attack]]. India's [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI) charged ten people in relation to the case (with whereabouts unknown for seven including the five hijackers), of whom only two were convicted and sentenced to [[life imprisonment]]. The hijacking is a part of the [[2000 millennium attack plots|millennium attack plots]] in late 1999 and early 2000 by [[Al-Qaeda]] linked terrorists.

== Background ==
=== Aircraft ===
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A300B2-101, [[Aircraft registration|registered]] as VT-EDW with [[serial number]] 036 and was powered by two [[General Electric CF6|General Electric CF6-50C]] engines.<ref>{{cite web|title=Unlawful Interference Airbus A300B2-101 VT-EDW, Friday 24 December 1999|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/323604|access-date=1 June 2024|work=[[Aviation Safety Network]]|archive-date=31 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831164539/https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/323604|url-status=live}}</ref> The aircraft carried 190 occupants which included 179 passengers and 11 crew members. The crew consisted of [[Pilot in command|Captain]] Devi Sharan, [[First officer (aviation)|First officer]] Rajinder Kumar, and [[Flight engineer]] Anil Kumar Jaggia.<ref name="BS">{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/what-happened-during-ic-814-hijack-the-focus-of-netflix-s-new-series-124090200554_1.html|title=What happened during IC-814 hijack?|newspaper=[[Business Standard]]|date=2 September 2024|access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="IE">{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ic-814-aircraft-hijack-kandahar-real-story-9540351/|title=What was the IC-814 aircraft hijack, the subject of a new Netflix series?|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=2 September 2024|access-date=2 September 2024|archive-date=1 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901182409/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ic-814-aircraft-hijack-kandahar-real-story-9540351/|url-status=live}}</ref> The passengers also included foreign nationals, amongst whom was Roberto Giori, the then-owner of [[De La Rue]] [[Gualtiero Giori|Giori]], a company that controlled the majority of the world's currency-printing business at the time.<ref name="EA" /><ref name="Time">{{cite magazine|last=Rahman|first=Maseeh|date=17 January 2000|title=Who Was That Special Passenger?|language=en-US|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2053713,00.html|access-date=2 September 2020|issn=0040-781X|archive-date=1 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001195232/http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2053713,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Hijackers ===
The flight carried five members of [[Harkat-ul-Mujahideen]] (HuM) amongst the passengers.<ref name="BS"/><ref name="IE"/> As per the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Indian ministry of external affairs]], the five perpetrators were later identified as Pakistani nationals Ibrahim Athar (from [[Bahawalpur]]), Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry (all three from [[Karachi]]) and Shakir (from [[Sukkur]]). The hijackers used the code names Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar respectively to refer to themselves.<ref name="EAM">{{cite report|url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/5481/Union+Home+Ministers+StatementIndian+Airlines+Flight+IC814|title=Union Home Minister's Statement(Indian Airlines Flight IC-814)|date=6 January 2000|access-date=1 June 2024|work=[[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]], [[Government of India]]}}</ref><ref name="Bhattacharya">{{cite book|first=Samir|last=Bhattacharya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xO3HAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA213|title=Nothing But!|date=2014|publisher=[[Partridge Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-48281-787-4|page=213|access-date=8 September 2022|archive-date=8 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908102941/https://books.google.com/books?id=xO3HAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA213|url-status=live}}</ref>

HuM is an Islamist organisation based out of Pakistan. It had split from [[Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami]] (HuI) in 1985 before reuniting in 1993 to form Harkat-ul-Ansar (HuA). However, after HuA was declared a [[List of designated terrorist groups|designated terrorist organisation]] by the United States in 1997, it changed its name back to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.<ref name="Stanford">{{cite web|url=https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/mappingmilitants/profiles/harakat-ul-mujahedeen|title=Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen|work=[[Center for International Security and Cooperation]], [[Foreign Service Institute]], [[Stanford University]]|access-date=1 June 2024|archive-date=14 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114112754/https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/mappingmilitants/profiles/harakat-ul-mujahedeen|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|[[Jaish-e-Muhammad]] was formed as a splinter group of HuM by [[Masood Azhar]] in 2000.<ref name="Stanford"/>|name=Group}} After its leaders were arrested by the [[Indian Armed Forces]] in 1993, the organisation perpetrated various attacks and kidnappings in India to secure the release of their leaders imprisoned in India. These included the killing of two [[Indian army]] personnel in 1994 and multiple incidents of kidnapping of Western tourists in [[1994 kidnappings of Westerners in India|1994]] and [[1995 kidnapping of Western tourists in Kashmir|1995]].<ref name="Stanford"/>

[[Kathmandu]] had been a major operational base for Pakistan's [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] (ISI) and a hub for other illegal activities.<ref name="Bhattacharya"/> Based on later investigation and statements from others arrested in connection with the incident, the incident was reportedly planned for over two months. The hijackers and their associates made several trips to Kathmandu during this period. The hijack was originally planned for 27 December 1999 but was moved forward later. The tickets for the hijackers were booked through three different tour agencies under false names, and the booking was altered on 13 December. Access to the airport was facilitated through underworld operative [[Dawood Ibrahim]].<ref name="EAM" /><ref name="Bhattacharya"/><ref name="Frontline">{{cite magazine|last=Swami|first=Praveen|title=Bowing to Terrorism|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30253131.ece|access-date=1 June 2020|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|date=7 January 2000|archive-date=8 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708185910/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30253131.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Hijacking ==
On 24 December 1999, the flight took off from [[Tribhuvan International Airport|Kathmandu]] en route to [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]] after 16:00 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]. It entered Indian airspace around 16:39, and the passengers and crew were being served refreshments. As chief steward Anil Sharma completed serving the pilots their refreshments, a man wearing a mask and brandishing a [[revolver]] and a [[grenade]] accosted him and demanded access to the cockpit. At 16:53, the pilot was told that the flight had been hijacked. The Delhi [[Air Traffic Control]] was informed of the situation at 16:56.<ref name="IE"/><ref name="EA">{{cite report|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/714070/1/621.pdf|title=Suo Motu Statement by Minister of External Affairs in Parliament on the Hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814|date=1 March 2000|access-date=1 June 2024|work=[[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]], [[Government of India]]|via=[[Parliament of India]]|archive-date=2 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902133535/https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/5471/suo+motu+statement+by+minister+of+external+affairs+in+parliament+on+the+hijacking+of+indian+airlines+flight+ic814|url-status=live}}</ref>

The hijackers instructed the flight captain to fly west towards the Pakistani [[air space]].<ref name="IBN">{{cite news|date=7 September 2006|title=How Govt lost the IC-814 hijack deal|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/govt-fumbled-ic814-taken-away/20846-3.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326022254/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/govt-fumbled-ic814-taken-away/20846-3.html|archive-date=26 March 2014|access-date=7 September 2006|work=[[IBN Live]]}}</ref><ref name="NDTV">{{cite web|title=The hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/the-hijacking-of-indian-airlines-flight-ic-814-400555|access-date=1 September 2020|work=[[NDTV]]|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028030823/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/the-hijacking-of-indian-airlines-flight-ic-814-400555|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[National Crisis Management Committee|Crisis Management Group]] (CMG) of the [[Indian Government]] led by [[Secretary to the Government of India|union secretary]] [[Prabhat Kumar]] was not convened immediately, and the information concerning the hijacking was not communicated at that time to the [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Intelligence Bureau]] and the [[Research and Analysis Wing]] (RAW).<ref name="Ordeal">{{cite magazine|title=An eight-day ordeal|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30253146.ece|access-date=2 September 2020|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|date=7 January 2000|archive-date=16 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016221548/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30253146.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Prime Minister of India|Indian prime minister]] [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] was traveling during the incident and was briefed regarding the incident only after he landed in Delhi. He later called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation.<ref name="EA"/>{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=6}} Meanwhile, as per later accounts, the hijackers ordered the crew to take away the food that had been served, separated the male passengers from women and children, blindfolded them and threatened them with explosives if they did not cooperate.<ref name="Ordeal"/>

=== Landing at Amritsar ===
At 18:04, captain Sharan radioed the Indian ATC that they had only one hour of fuel left and that the Pakistani ATC had refused permission to land the aircraft at Lahore. He implored the ATC to reach out to Pakistan, as the hijackers did not want to land in India and had already threatened to execute ten hostages if their demands were not met. At 18:30, the [[High Commission of India, Islamabad|Indian High Commission in Pakistan]] requested permission for the plane to land there, which was denied by the [[Government of Pakistan|Pakistani government]].<ref name="IT">{{cite web|date=10 January 2000|title=Hijacking; ... in Amritsar, a speeding tanker causes panic|url=http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811115701/http://india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html|archive-date=11 August 2010|access-date=8 June 2010|work=[[India Today]]|df=dmy-all}}</ref> At 18:25, the CMG informed the [[National Security Guard]] (NSG) to prepare for a possible rescue mission.<ref name="IT"/>

When informed of the fuel shortage, the hijackers allowed the captain to land the flight at the [[Amritsar airport]] in India.<ref name="IBN"/><ref name="NDTV"/> At 18:44, the flight began its descent towards the airport in Amritsar, following a message from the captain to the Indian ATC and the CMG was informed of the same.<ref name="IT"/> The Indian [[Home Minister (India)|home minister]] [[L. K. Advani]] and [[Director General of Police]] for the state of [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] Sarabjeet Singh both later stated that they came to know of the hijacking from the television news rather than being informed by the CMG.<ref name="Frontline"/> As per the official guidelines, Singh asked the [[Inspector General of Police]] of the Amritsar area to take charge of the situation. As the officer was on leave, J.P. Birdi, who occupied the position previously, was sent to handle the situation.<ref name="IT"/>

At 19:10, as the NSG team was ready to take off to Amritsar, it had to wait as the government negotiators did not arrive in time.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=6}}<ref name="IT"/> On landing at Amritsar, the captain requested immediate refueling of the aircraft. The hijackers refused to communicate with local police officials while the plane was at the airport.<ref name="Frontline"/><ref name="IT"/> Later eyewitness accounts indicated that the hijackers, who were upset by the delay in refueling, stabbed passengers Satnam Singh and Rupin Katyal with a knife, causing several wounds.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=7}}<ref name="Ordeal"/> The captain made contact with the ATC four times, informing them that the hijackers were armed with [[AK-47|Kalashnikov rifles]] and had begun killing hostages, and requested them to refuel the plane as fast as possible to prevent any additional deaths.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=7}}<ref name="Frontline"/><ref name="IT"/> Captain Sharan later stated that he had hoped that the ordeal would end with the assistance of Indian government and that the plane would not have to take off again from Amritsar.<ref name="IBN"/><ref name="The Citizen">{{cite news|last1=Mustafa|first1=Seema|date=5 July 2015|title=The Real Story: Kandahar Hijacking, Not A 'Goof Up' But A Major Cover Up|work=The Citizen|url=http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/newsdetail/index/2/4275/the-real-story-kandahar-hijacking-not-a-goof-up-but-a-major-cover-up|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=27 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201830/http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/newsdetail/index/2/4275/the-real-story-kandahar-hijacking-not-a-goof-up-but-a-major-cover-up|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Take-off to Lahore ===
The CMG directed the authorities to ensure that the plane was immobilised at any cost and armed personnel of the [[Punjab Police (India)|Punjab Police]] were put in position to ensure the same. Meanwhile, the aircraft engines were kept running and the plane stayed on the [[runway]].<ref name="IT"/> A refueling [[Bowser (tanker)|bowser]] was finally dispatched and was parked to the side of the aircraft.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=7}} As the aircraft started moving, it was ordered to block the aircraft from taking off and it narrowly missed hitting the plane.<ref name="IT"/> Then [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]] [[Brajesh Mishra]] later revealed that the government had advised for a [[sniper]] to be hidden in the bowser, who could shoot if required to disable the plane.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=6}} Later, it was revealed that this approach caused the hijackers to suspect that the refueling process would prevent their departure, and they ordered captain Sharan to take off immediately, resulting in the plane narrowly avoiding hitting the fuel tanker on the runway.<ref name="IT"/>

Eyewitness accounts later revealed that five passengers had been placed in seats towards the front with their hands bound, and the hijackers threatened that more hostages would be executed if the plane did not take off immediately.<ref name="Ordeal"/> The captain later said that he had to make a decision so as to stop them from killing the passengers.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=8}} Despite receiving no clearance to take-off, the plane left Amritsar airport at 19:47.<ref name="EA"/> Captain Sharan announced the departure to the ATC stating, "We are all dying." The NSG lifted off from Delhi at around 19:55 and arrived at the airport at 20:15 after the aircraft had departed.<ref name="Frontline"/><ref name="IT"/>{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=8}}

On approaching Lahore, the aircraft again requested permission to land, which was denied by the Pakistani ATC. All the lights and navigational aids at the [[Allama Iqbal International Airport|Lahore airport]] were turned off to prevent the plane from landing. As the plane had not been refueled in Amritsar, it was running out of fuel and captain Sharan indicated that he would have to crash-land the aircraft at Lahore. As he made an approach to land on a highway, the Pakistani ATC turned on the navigational aids and allowed the plane to land at the airport.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=10}}<ref name="India Today">{{cite magazine|last=Baweja|first=Harinder|date=10 January 2000|title=Pakistan Foreign Office called India to say they were outraged the plane had landed in Lahore|magazine=[[India Today]]|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20000110-pakistan-foreign-office-called-india-to-say-they-were-outraged-the-plane-had-landed-in-lahore-776904-2000-01-10|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528053902/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20000110-pakistan-foreign-office-called-india-to-say-they-were-outraged-the-plane-had-landed-in-lahore-776904-2000-01-10|url-status=live}}</ref> The plane touched down in Lahore at 20:01.<ref name="EA"/> On receiving information that the plane had landed in Lahore, India sought a transport for the Indian High Commissioner [[G. Parthasarathy]] to travel from [[Islamabad]] to Lahore and requested Pakistani authorities to ensure that the plane did not leave Lahore. The runway lights were again turned off to prevent the aircraft from taking off and Pakistani forces surrounded the plane.<ref name="India Today"/>

According to Sharan, the hijackers were ready to release some women and children aboard the flight, but were denied permission by Pakistani authorities. Parthasarathy later stated that his repeated requests to stop the plane from taking off were not heeded by Pakistan and that he was delayed due to transport difficulties.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=9}}<ref name="Dixit">{{cite book |last=Dixit |first=Jyotindra Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XnzRttnqExUC&pg=PA24 |title=India-Pakistan in war & peace |date=2 August 2003 |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |isbn=978-0-20330-110-4 |access-date=4 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204123856/https://books.google.com/books?id=XnzRttnqExUC&pg=PA24 |archive-date=4 February 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> By the time he arrived at the airport, the plane had been refueled and was allowed to leave.<ref name="India Today"/> The plane took off from Lahore at around 22:32.<ref name="EA"/> The Indian officials contacted Pakistan for confirmation of reports that passengers on board had been killed, but received no response from the Pakistani authorities.<ref name="India Today"/>

=== Diversion to Dubai ===
Upon departure from Lahore, the crew was asked to set a course for [[Kabul]]. However, as the [[Kabul Airport]] did not have any night landing facilities at the time, the captain expressed his inability to do so. As the plane flew west, most [[Gulf countries]] closed their air space to prevent the plane from landing.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=10}} The flight was finally allowed to land at [[Al Minhad Air Base]] in [[Dubai]] and touched down at 01:32 on the next day. Following negotiations between the Emirate authorities and the hijackers, 27 passengers were released in exchange for re-fueling the aircraft. The body of the deceased 25-year-old Katyal, who had been stabbed earlier, was also offloaded at the air base.<ref name="IE"/><ref name="EA"/>{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=10}} The released passengers, including Satnam Singh, who had also been attacked by the hijackers in Amritsar, and the body of Katyal were later flown to India on a special relief plane on 25 December.<ref name="Ordeal"/>

While the plane was in Dubai, the Indian authorities wanted to attempt a rescue by Indian forces but the Emirate authorities refused permission.<ref name="Ordeal"/><ref name="Swap">{{cite news|title=India wanted to raid IC-814 in Dubai, but Farooq Abdullah opposed swap, says former RAW chief AS Dulat|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-wanted-to-raid-ic-814-in-dubai-farooq-opposed-swap-ex-raw-chief-dulat/|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=3 July 2015|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=5 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605052007/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-wanted-to-raid-ic-814-in-dubai-farooq-opposed-swap-ex-raw-chief-dulat/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=7 July 2015|title=NSG came close to raid IC-814 in Dubai|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NSG-came-close-to-raid-IC-814-in-Dubai/articleshow/47967046.cms|access-date=7 May 2020|archive-date=24 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424220131/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NSG-came-close-to-raid-IC-814-in-Dubai/articleshow/47967046.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> The authorities sent catering trucks in a bid to further delay the plane. However, the hijackers forced the captain to take off and the plane narrowly made it off the runway. Captain Sharan later opined that he could have chosen to crash the aircraft to prevent it from taking off, but it presented a fire risk as the plane was full of fuel and he could not have done it without the explicit permission of the authorities.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=11}} The plane took off from Dubai at 6:20 IST in the morning.<ref name="EA"/>

=== Landing in Kandahar and negotiations ===
The aircraft landed at [[Kandahar airport]] in Afghanistan at 08:33.<ref name="EA"/> Kandahar was under the control of [[Taliban]] and after the aircraft landed there, India had to negotiate with the Taliban authorities to reach out to the hijackers. India's lack of previous contact with the Taliban regime complicated the negotiating process.<ref name="David">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kCI4492cHTEC&pg=PA405 |title=The greater game |isbn=978-0-77352-639-6 | page=405 |access-date=4 May 2014 |last1=Praagh |first1=David Van |year=2003 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press|archive-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201091737/https://books.google.com/books?id=kCI4492cHTEC&pg=PA405 |url-status=live }}</ref> As India did not officially recognise the Taliban regime, it dispatched an official from its high commission in Islamabad to Kandahar with the [[United Nations]] also sending negotiators to assist in the situation.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=12}} Armed members of the Taliban surrounded the aircraft, which raised doubts to the Indian authorities on the real intention of the Taliban.<ref name="Shah">{{cite book|last=Shah|first=Giriraj|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G7vLJpEDztYC&pg=PA105|title=Hijacking and Terror in Sky|date=January 2002|publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-8-12611-090-2|pages=105–117|access-date=4 May 2014|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215185357/https://books.google.com/books?id=G7vLJpEDztYC&pg=PA105|url-status=live}}</ref> The Taliban maintained that the forces were deployed in an attempt to dissuade the hijackers from killing or injuring the hostages. However, military analysts believe it was done to prevent an Indian military operation against the hijackers.<ref name="Rohan">{{cite book|last=Gunaratna|first=Rohan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rO2HY8unF_sC&pg=PA214|title=Inside Al Qaeda|date=5 June 2002|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|page=214|isbn=978-0-23112-692-2|access-date=4 May 2014|archive-date=27 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227204527/https://books.google.com/books?id=rO2HY8unF_sC&pg=PA214|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Taillon">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOWlnOXhdLkC&pg=PA188 |title=Hijacking and hostages |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-27597-468-8 |page=188 |access-date=4 May 2014 |archive-date=18 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118121533/https://books.google.com/books?id=FOWlnOXhdLkC&pg=PA188 |url-status=live |last1=Taillon |first1=J. Paul D. |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] }}</ref>

On 25-26 December, India internally discussed their approach to negotiations, while passengers were still on board the flight. The plane's engine was running continuously to provide lighting and heating as the temperatures dropped during the night.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/584729.stm|title=Indian hijack drama over|work=[[BBC]]|access-date=20 October 2021|archive-date=13 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913042128/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/584729.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Passengers later stated that they received irregular meals and had limited access to drinking water and sanitation facilities, and that the hijackers utilised the public announcement system on board the plane to proselytize to the passengers.<ref name="Time"/> Home minister Advani opposed any release of prisoners in exchange for the hostages, as this would affect the public opinion of the government, while [[External Affairs Minister of India|external affairs minister]] [[Jaswant Singh]] advocated to negotiate with the Taliban. On 27 December, the Indian Government sent a team of negotiators headed by Vivek Katju, joint-secretary in the ministry of external affairs, along with officials [[Ajit Doval]] and [[C.D. Sahay]].<ref name="Frontline"/>{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|pp=15-16}}

The Indian negotiators saw that the Taliban had encircled the aircraft.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=16}} Negotiations did not progress, as Taliban officials refused to allow Indian special forces to attempt a covert operation, and declined to conduct an operation by their own special forces. To prevent any military action, Taliban officials later surrounded the aircraft with [[military tank]]s.<ref name="Frontline"/> Doval later said that the hijackers were getting active support from ISI in Kandahar and that the ISI had handled the pressure the Indians were trying to put on the hijackers, meaning that their safe exit was guaranteed, and they had no need to negotiate an escape route. He also stated that if the hijackers were not getting active support from the ISI, then India could have resolved the hijacking sooner.<ref>{{cite journal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000517125618/http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/feb/stunt.htm |url=http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/feb/stunt.htm|journal=Defence Journal|archive-date=17 May 2000|title=Hijacking Stunt of Air India Aircraft}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Govt pressurised negotiators to end IC-814 hijacking by Dec 31: Doval|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Govt-pressurised-negotiators-to-end-IC-814-hijacking-by-Dec-31-Doval/article16835249.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=1 January 2010|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=26 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226151450/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Govt-pressurised-negotiators-to-end-IC-814-hijacking-by-Dec-31-Doval/article16835249.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Dhawan|first1=Himanshi|title=ISI backed Kandahar hijackers: Plane crisis negotiator Ajit Doval|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/isi-backed-kandahar-hijackers-plane-crisis-negotiator-ajit-doval/articleshow/56558139.cms|work=[[The Economic Times]]|date=2017|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528053403/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/isi-backed-kandahar-hijackers-plane-crisis-negotiator-ajit-doval/articleshow/56558139.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 27 December, a Taliban official speaking to a local newspaper stated that the hijackers should either leave Afghanistan or put down their weapons. Indian officials interpreted this statement as an understanding that Taliban officials would arrest the hijackers if they surrendered and began to negotiate with them concerning their demands.<ref name="Frontline"/> The hijackers initially demanded the release of [[Masood Azhar]], who was lodged in an Indian prison and stated that they will release ten Indians, five foreigners and other passengers of their choice if the condition is met. India refused the offer and stated that until all the terms are laid down to completely end the hijacking, there would be no negotiations. On the same day, the hijackers made three demands which included the release of 36 prisoners lodged in various Indian jails, the return of the body of HuM founder [[Sajjad Afghani]] and {{USD|200 million}} in cash.<ref name="EA"/><ref name="Frontline"/> Afghani had been arrested earlier by the Indian authorities and was killed during a jailbreak in 1999.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Anil K. Jaggia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZzcyEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT138 |title=IC 814 Hijacked: The Inside Story |author2=Saurabh Shukla |date=2021 |publisher=[[Roli Books Private Limited]] |isbn=978-8-19512-489-3 |page=138 |orig-date=2014 |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-date=2 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902191942/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZzcyEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT138#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Prisoner release and end of the hijacking ===
On further negotiations, the demand was ultimately reduced to the release of three prisoners: Masood Azhar, [[Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh|Omar Sheikh]] and [[Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar|Mushtaq Zargar]].<ref name="EA"/><ref name="Frontline"/> Azhar was arrested for terrorist activities in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] in 1994.<ref>
{{cite news |last=Watson |first=Paul |author2=Sidhartha Barua |title=Somalian Link Seen to Al Qaeda |newspaper=[[LA Times]] |date=25 February 2002 |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-022502hawk.story |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020225225917/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-022502hawk.story |archive-date=25 February 2002}}
</ref> Sheikh had been arrested in connection with the 1994 kidnappings of foreigners perpetrated by HuA.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Rath |first=Saroj Kumar |date=2020 |title=Ilyas Kashmiri through the Prism of HuJI, HuA, HuM, JeM, Brigade 313 and al Qaeda |url=https://www.academia.edu/44824474 |journal=SSRN Electronic Journal |doi=10.2139/ssrn.3704948 |s2cid=240721894 |issn=1556-5068|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Celia W. | last=Dugger | author-link=Celia W. Dugger | title=Confession in 1994 Case Evokes Pearl Abduction | date=8 February 2002 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/08/world/a-nation-challenged-a-suspect-confession-in-1994-case-evokes-pearl-abduction.html?sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink | work=[[The New York Times]] | access-date=27 April 2010 | archive-date=17 July 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717080639/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/08/world/a-nation-challenged-a-suspect-confession-in-1994-case-evokes-pearl-abduction.html?sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink | url-status=live }}</ref> Zargar, who had at least three dozen murder cases registered against him, had been arrested on 15 May 1992 and imprisoned in India.<ref name="Shah"/> On 30 December, RAW chief [[A. S. Dulat]] communicated with then [[Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir|chief minister]] of Jammu and Kashmir [[Farooq Abdullah]] to release the prisoners who were then lodged in the state prisons. Abdullah was opposed to releasing the prisoners, warning Dulat of the long-term consequences, but eventually agreed to the demands of the Indian government. The three prisoners were released and flown to Kandahar.<ref name="Frontline"/>

By this time, the hostages had been allowed to de-plane by the hijackers, and the hijackers had also surrendered their weapons to the Taliban. Passenger accounts indicated the hijackers asked the passengers to show their gratitude to the Afghanistan government, following which money was collected and handed to one of the passengers, Anuj Sharma, who was instructed to use it to commission a memento of the hijacking for a museum in Kandahar.<ref name="Ordeal"/> India explicitly conveyed to the Taliban that it expected the Taliban to arrest and act against the perpetrators. However, instead of arresting the hijackers and the three prisoners who had been handed over to them, the Taliban authorities gave them ten hours to leave the country and drove them to the [[Afghanistan-Pakistan border]].<ref name="EA"/><ref name="Frontline"/>

== Aftermath ==
After the incident, Indian Airlines suspended all flights to and from Kathmandu. The airline resumed its Kathmandu services after five months on 1 June 2000 under the same flight numbers, after Nepal assured India of full security at Kathmandu's airport.<ref>{{cite news|date=8 May 2000|title=IA to resume flights to Kathmandu|url=https://m.rediff.com/news/2000/may/08akd.htm|access-date=13 January 2024|work=[[Rediff.com]]|archive-date=13 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113083019/https://m.rediff.com/news/2000/may/08akd.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Nepal also agreed to the installation of an additional [[X-ray machine]] and a final screening of passengers by Indian security personnel at the airport.<ref>{{cite news|date=2 June 2000|title=IA resumes flights to Nepal|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000602/main3.htm|access-date=13 January 2024|work=[[The Tribune (India)]]|archive-date=13 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113083019/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000602/main3.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2000, the [[Airport Sector (CISF)|security of Indian airports]] was handed over to the [[Central Industrial Security Force]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/cisf-replaces-usual-airport-security-drill-with-tactical-checking-1667937.html |title=CISF replaces usual airport security drill with 'tactical checking' |work=[[Firstpost]] |date=17 August 2014 |access-date=28 May 2020 |location=New Delhi |archive-date=22 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822000622/http://www.firstpost.com/india/cisf-replaces-usual-airport-security-drill-with-tactical-checking-1667937.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Chatterjee |first=D. K. |title=Central Police Organisations, Part 1 |publisher=Allied Publishers |year=2005 |isbn=817-7-64902-7 |page=79 |chapter=Central Industrial Security Force – Airport Security}}</ref> The hijacked aircraft was returned to Indian Airlines and was scrapped in December 2003.<ref name="Scrap">{{cite news|last1=Vishnoi|first1=Anubhuti|date=12 February 2008|title=Four years after IC-814 hijack, plane was sold as scrap|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/four-years-after-ic814-hijack-plane-was-sold-as-scrap/272365/1|access-date=7 May 2020|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225144845/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/four-years-after-ic814-hijack-plane-was-sold-as-scrap/272365/1|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Investigation and trial ===
On 29 December, Indian intelligence intercepted a phone call from Pakistan that directed a [[Mumbai]] resident Abdul Latif  to contact a news agency in [[London]] and inform that the hijackers would blow the aircraft if their demands were not met.<ref name="Bhattacharya"/> The case was investigated by the Indian [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] , which [[chargesheet|charged]] ten people with the hijacking including Latif, Dilip Kumar Bhujel, and a Nepalese citizen known as Yusuf Nepali, who provided support to the hijackers.<ref name="CBI">{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/pm-modis-surprise-lahore-visit-in-pictures-30864-2008-10-02|title=CBI seeks death penalty for IC-814 hijack accused|work=[[India Today]]|date=2 October 2008|access-date=1 June 2024|archive-date=2 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902191922/https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/pm-modis-surprise-lahore-visit-in-pictures-30864-2008-10-02|url-status=live}}</ref> Amongst the ten accused, the whereabouts of seven including the five hijackers were unknown.<ref name="CBI"/><ref>{{cite news|date=2 October 2008|title=CBI seeks death penalty for IC-814 hijack accused|work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=615303|url-status=dead|access-date=28 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603184959/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=615303|archive-date=3 June 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> While the governments of Nepal and UAE helped with the subsequent investigation, the government of Pakistan refused to cooperate on the same. During the course of the investigation, arrest warrants for the remaining seven accused, who were Pakistani nationals, were forwarded to the Pakistani government by the CBI for their extradition to India. Though the CBI also sought the help of [[Interpol]] and got [[red corner notice]]s issued against the seven, none of them were brought to trial.<ref name="Justice">{{cite web|url=https://www.ipcs.org/comm_select.php?articleNo=2492|title=IC-814: Facts, Trial, Verdict, and Implications|date=11 February 2008|access-date=1 June 2024|work=Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies}}</ref>

The hijacked aircraft became the main piece of evidence involved in the subsequent criminal investigation and subsequently a model of the plane was created for the legal proceedings.<ref name="Scrap"/> After almost eight years of litigation, a [[Patiala House Court|special court at Patiala]] sentenced the three arrested accused to [[life imprisonment]] on 5 February 2008.<ref>{{cite news|date=5 February 2008|title=Patiala court gives life imprisonment to IC-814 hijacking convicts|work=[[One India]]|url=http://news.oneindia.in/2008/02/05/patiala-court-imprisonment-ic-814-hijacking-convicts-1202224500.html|access-date=28 June 2012|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222616/https://www.oneindia.com/2008/02/05/patiala-court-imprisonment-ic-814-hijacking-convicts-1202224500.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The CBI later moved the [[Punjab and Haryana High Court]] demanding the [[death penalty]] for Latif.<ref name="CBI"/> When the case came up for hearing in September 2012, the High Court dismissed the CBI's plea and confirmed the life imprisonment for Latif. It also acquitted the other two from conviction under the anti-hijacking law and confirmed their conviction only under the less stringent arms act.<ref name="Plea">{{cite news|title=IC-814 hijack: SC to hear convict's plea against life sentence|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/ic814-hijack-sc-to-hear-convicts-plea-against-life-sentence/1033619|date=21 April 2017|access-date=2 September 2020|work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905225044/https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/ic814-hijack-sc-to-hear-convicts-plea-against-life-sentence/1033619|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=1 June 2012|title=Over 3 years in cold storage, case to come up for hearing in September|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/over-3-years-in-cold-storage-case-to-come-up-for-hearing-in-september/956374/|access-date=28 June 2012|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222617/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/over-3-years-in-cold-storage-case-to-come-up-for-hearing-in-september/|url-status=live}}</ref> The CBI later approached the [[Supreme Court of India]] against the decision.<ref name="Plea"/>

On 13 September 2012, the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]] arrested Mehrajuddin Dand, who allegedly provided logistical support for the hijacking.<ref>{{cite news|title=IC-814 hijack: Key conspirator Mehrajuddin Dand arrested in Kishtwar district |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ic814-hijack-key-conspirator-arrested-in-jk/290984-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916090037/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ic814-hijack-key-conspirator-arrested-in-jk/290984-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 September 2012|access-date=16 November 2012|work=[[IBN Live]]}}</ref> Meanwhile, Latif's application for parole was rejected in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|date=2 July 2015|title=High Court denies parole to Kandahar hijacker|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/hc-denies-parole-to-kandahar-hijacker/story-sdnVKkphQqN06zHgGIn2lL.html|newspaper=[[The Hindustan Times]]|access-date=20 July 2018|archive-date=20 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720110153/https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/hc-denies-parole-to-kandahar-hijacker/story-sdnVKkphQqN06zHgGIn2lL.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 10 July 2020, Latif along with 18 others including an employee of the passport office, was acquitted by a sessions court in Mumbai on charges relating to the fabrication of passports in connection with the hijacking incident.<ref>{{cite news|date=11 July 2020|title=Court acquits 19 accused in case linked to Kandahar hijack|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/court-acquits-19-accused-in-case-linked-to-kandahar-hijack-6499925/|access-date=11 July 2020|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|archive-date=12 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712034008/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/court-acquits-19-accused-in-case-linked-to-kandahar-hijack-6499925/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Domestic reaction ===
The relatives of the passengers aboard the flight raised public protests and tried to enter government briefings and meetings forcefully to get information on the status of the passengers and demanded that the government adhere to the requests of the hijackers to ensure the safe release of the passengers. In response, the government shared a message from the Kandahar ATC which stated that the plane was being regularly cleaned, and that the passengers were being provided with food, water and entertainment. However, this was later contradicted by the released passengers.<ref name="Ordeal"/>

The incident was seen by the Indian media as a failure of the Indian government and intelligence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/india/2015/07/03/what-dulat-didnt-reveal-raw-officer-was-on-hijacked-plane-ic-814|title=16 Years On, Mystery of RAW Officer on Hijacked IC-814 Remains|work=[[The Quint]]| date=4 July 2015|access-date=16 February 2019|archive-date=9 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809233624/http://www.thequint.com/india/2015/07/03/what-dulat-didnt-reveal-raw-officer-was-on-hijacked-plane-ic-814|url-status=live|quote=While the entire security and political establishment goofed up in their response to prevent the hijack of Indian Airlines flight...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.india.com/news/india/kandahar-hijack-revisit-the-story-of-five-terrorists-bringing-india-on-its-knees-trading-176-lives-for-3-terrorists-810146/|title=Kandahar Hijack: Revisit story of five terrorists bringing India on its knees|last=Iqbal|first=Aadil Ikram Zaki|date=24 December 2015|work=[[India.com]]|access-date=1 June 2019|archive-date=17 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217142310/https://www.india.com/news/india/kandahar-hijack-revisit-the-story-of-five-terrorists-bringing-india-on-its-knees-trading-176-lives-for-3-terrorists-810146/|url-status=live|quote=The failure of Indian government during the Kandahar hostage crisis has become a blot on Indian history.}}</ref>  Media reports also criticised the government officials for not informing the Indian prime minister about the incident for more than an hour after the hijacking had begun.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=6}}<ref name="FP"/><ref name="The Citizen"/> In a report to the [[Indian Parliament]] on 1 March 2000, the external affairs minister Jaswant Singh stated that the government was not initially aware that the aircraft would land at Amritsar and there was limited information about the number of perpetrators and the nature of weapons. He further stated that any action would have contributed to undue risk as the information from the flight crew indicated that attackers had already killed passengers and the Indian authorities made all efforts to stop the aircraft from taking off from Amritsar.<ref name="EA"/> Singh received criticism from the media for praising the Taliban for their co-operation after the hostages had been returned.<ref>{{cite news|title=Failure of diplomacy|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30253144.ece|access-date=2 September 2020|work=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|date=7 January 2000|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222616/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30253144.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to a report in [[Firstpost]], then RAW chief Dulat had revealed that Shashi Bhushan Singh Tomar, a RAW officer, was aboard the plane during the hijacking. It further opined that a proposal to send the NSG was apparently sabotaged by then [[Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India|secretary to the Indian prime minister]] [[N. K. Singh]], whose sister was married to Tomar. According to former RAW officer R. K. Yadav, Tomar was alerted by a RAW operative in Kathmandu of plans by Pakistan-based terrorists to hijack an Indian plane. However, Tomar rebuked him and told him not to spread rumors. The report further stated that somehow Tomar ended up on the same plane which was hijacked and became the cause of failure of the operation.<ref name="FP">{{cite magazine|title=Ex-RAW chief wasn't totally honest with us in his book: Here's what Dulat didn't tell us about IC-814|magazine=[[Firstpost]]|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/ex-raw-chief-wasnt-totally-honest-with-us-in-his-book-heres-what-dulat-didnt-tell-us-about-ic-814-2336728.html|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=27 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201726/https://www.firstpost.com/india/ex-raw-chief-wasnt-totally-honest-with-us-in-his-book-heres-what-dulat-didnt-tell-us-about-ic-814-2336728.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== International reaction ===
[[Al-Qaeda]] led by [[Osama bin Laden]] provided organisational support for the hijacking and the incident was a part of the [[2000 millennium attack plots|millennium attack plots]] in late 1999 and early 2000 by Al-Qaeda linked terrorists.<ref>{{cite news|title=Other Millennium Attacks|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/trail/inside/attacks.html|work=[[PBS]]|date=25 October 2001|access-date=1 September 2017|archive-date=4 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904031028/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/trail/inside/attacks.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Bruce O.|last=Riedel|year=2012|title=Deadly Embrace: Pakistan, America, and the Future of the Global Jihad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ULgk7_oWB1EC&pg=PA58|publisher=[[Brookings Institution Press]]|pages=58–59|isbn=978-0-815-72274-8|access-date=22 October 2020|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222620/https://books.google.com/books?id=ULgk7_oWB1EC&pg=PA58|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Dilip|last=Hiro|year=2014|title=War Without End: The Rise of Islamist Terrorism and Global Response|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J1G4AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA288|publisher=[[Routledge]]|pages=287–288|isbn=978-1-13648-556-5|access-date=22 October 2020|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222614/https://books.google.com/books?id=J1G4AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA288|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Government of the United States]] released a press release condemning the hijacking incident and called for the release of hostages.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://1997-2001.state.gov/briefings/statements/1999/ps991227.html|title=India: Hijacking of Indian Airliner|date=27 December 1999|access-date=1 June 2024|work=[[Government of the United States]]}}</ref> Though the United States had started engaging against the Al-Qaeda after the [[1998 United States embassy bombings|bombings of American embassies in Africa in 1998]], it actively engaged against the Taliban only after the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001.<ref name="Oxford"/>{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=17}} In 2008, Jaswant Singh opined that the hijacking was a prelude to the 2001 attacks, and criticised that the United States spent millions in Pakistan in the name of fighting terrorism, but the country did not cooperate in taking action against the perpetrators.<ref name="Justice"/>

UAE was one of the three countries that recognised the Taliban regime during the time. While it cooperated with the Indian authorities and helped with the release of hostages, it did not do much to prevent the plane from taking off from the country.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|p=10}} The Pakistani government did not provide support in ending the hijack attempt and the Indian officials described the involvement of ISI in the hijacking. However, [[Foreign Minister of Pakistan|Pakistan foreign minister]] [[Abdul Sattar (diplomat)|Abdul Sattar]] accused India of staging the hijacking to defame the government of Pakistan.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|pp=16-17}}

=== Indian foreign policy ===
Doval, who was part of the negotiating team, described the whole incident as a diplomatic failure due to the government's inability to force the US and the UAE to help secure a quick release of the passengers.<ref>{{cite news|title=IC-814 was India's 'Diplomatic Failure': Doval|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/ic-814-was-indias-diplomatic-failure-doval/671686|work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|date=24 December 2009|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528052356/https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/ic-814-was-indias-diplomatic-failure-doval/671686|url-status=live}}</ref> India had actively opposed the Taliban regime ever since it gained power in Afghanistan in 1996 as they were suspected to be involved in training militants for attacks in [[Indian Kashmir]] region.<ref name="Oxford">{{cite book|title=The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy|author1=C. Raja Mohan|author2=David M. Malone|author3=Srinath Raghavan|date=23 July 2015 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19106-119-6|page=245|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6V2KCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT245}}</ref> Though Taliban had publicly indicated the displeasure at the hijacking, it did not actively help India and shared some similar interests with the ISI.{{sfn|Macdonald|2017|pp=16-17}}

It was a set back to the Indian government as it was forced to directly negotiate with the Taliban, which it had not recognised previously.<ref name="Oxford"/> It later supported the [[Northern Alliance]] and provided logistical support to them in the fight against the Taliban. The leader of the alliance, [[Ahmad Shah Massoud]], visited India on multiple occasions to discuss strategies to take on the Taliban.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/how-india-aided-northern-alliance-chief-ahmad-shah-massoud-fight-taliban-10436401.htm|title=How India aided Northern Alliance chief Ahmad Shah Massoud fight Taliban|work=[[CNBC TV18]]|date=20 August 2021|access-date=1 February 2022|archive-date=2 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202032058/https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/how-india-aided-northern-alliance-chief-ahmad-shah-massoud-fight-taliban-10436401.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> During the subsequent [[US invasion of Afghanistan]], the Indian government provided intelligence to the US on the locations of training camps of Islamic militants in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/09/19/inv.afghanistan.camp/|title=India identifies terrorist training camps|work=[[CNN]]|date=19 September 2001 |last=Bindra|first=Satinder|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210073323/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/09/19/inv.afghanistan.camp/|archive-date=10 December 2008}}</ref>

=== Actions of released prisoners ===
The three released terrorists and the hijackers have since been implicated in other terrorist incidents such as the [[2001 Indian Parliament attack]], 2002 kidnapping and murder of American journalist [[Daniel Pearl]], [[2008 Mumbai attacks]], [[2016 Pathankot attack]] and the [[2019 Pulwama attack]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/where-are-the-3-terrorists-who-were-swapped-for-170-passengers-of-hijacked-ic-814/339781/|title=Where are the 3 terrorists who were swapped for 170 passengers of hijacked IC-814?|work=[[The Print]]|date=24 December 2019|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistan-blamed-by-india-for-raid-on-parliament-620439.html|title=Pakistan blamed by India for raid on parliament|work=[[The Independent]]|date=21 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221172052/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistan-blamed-by-india-for-raid-on-parliament-620439.html|archive-date=21 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Omar Sheikh sentenced to death in Pearl murder case|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jul/15pak.htm|date=2007-07-15|website=[[Rediff.com]]|access-date=7 May 2020|archive-date=30 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730203321/http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jul/15pak.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Azhar later founded [[Jaish-e-Muhammed]] in 2000, which gained notoriety for its alleged role in the various attacks that led to the death of hundreds of Indian civilians and armed forces personnel.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Swami|first1=Praveen|author1-link=Praveen Swami|date=22 February 2019|title=The Jaish-e-Mohammad's fidayeen factory: How Masood Azhar set up his industry of terror in Kashmir|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/the-jaish-e-mohammads-fidayeen-factory-how-masood-azhar-set-up-his-industry-of-terror-in-kashmir-6129311.html|work=[[Firstpost]]|access-date=8 September 2022|archive-date=8 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908102941/https://www.firstpost.com/india/the-jaish-e-mohammads-fidayeen-factory-how-masood-azhar-set-up-his-industry-of-terror-in-kashmir-6129311.html|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A9eqvc-Ru3cC&pg=PA242|title=How We Missed the Story: Osama Bin Laden, the Taliban, and the Hijacking of ... – Roy Gutman – Google Books|date=18 January 2020|isbn=978-1-60127-024-5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118124452/https://books.google.com/books?id=A9eqvc-Ru3cC&pg=PA242|archive-date=18 January 2020|last1=Gutman|first1=Roy|publisher=US Institute of Peace Press }}</ref> Sheikh went on to join Azhar at JeM in 2000 after the release. He was later arrested in 2002 by Pakistani authorities for the abduction and murder of Daniel Pearl.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1804710.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|title=Profile: Omar Saeed Sheikh|date=16 July 2002|access-date=5 May 2010|archive-date=7 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507082334/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1804710.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/pearl_07-15-02.html|title=Pakistan Convicts Four Men in Pearl Murder|work=[[PBS]]|date=15 July 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309090127/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/pearl_07-15-02.html|archive-date=9 March 2009 }}</ref> He also played a significant role in planning the September 2001 attacks in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|date=7 February 2001|title=Suspected Mastermind of Pearl Killing Arrested|work=[[CNN]]|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/12/bn.02.html|access-date=29 June 2006|archive-date=22 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051836/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/12/bn.02.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Since his release, Zargar has played an active role in training Islamic militants in [[Azad Kashmir|Pakistan administrated Kashmir]].<ref>{{cite web|title=India's Response To Terrorism – Are We Losing The War?|url=http://desicritics.org/2008/07/27/132626.php|last=Mishra|first=Abhinandan|date=27 July 2008|work=Desicritics|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928221117/http://desicritics.org/2008/07/27/132626.php|archive-date=28 September 2008|access-date=4 August 2008}}</ref>

[[Amjad Farooqi]], who was earlier involved in the 1995 kidnapping of Western tourists in Kashmir by [[Al-Faran]], was also involved in the hijacking under the alias Mansur Hasnain.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rassler|first=Don|date=18 December 2017|title=Al-Qaida and the Pakistani Harakat Movement: Reflections and Questions about the pre-2001 Period|url=http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/655|journal=Perspectives on Terrorism |volume=11|issue=6|issn=2334-3745|access-date=8 September 2022|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120001809/http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/655|url-status=usurped}}</ref> On 1 March 2022, one of the hijackers, Zahoor Mistry, was killed by unidentified gunmen in a drive-by shooting in [[Karachi]], Pakistan. He was responsible for the murder of Rupin Katyal during the hijacking.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/ic814-victim-rupin-katyal-gets-justice-hijacker-ibrahim-killed-in-karachi-101646712210813.html|title=IC-814 victim Rupin Katyal gets justice, hijacker Ibrahim killed in Karachi|newspaper=[[The Hindustan Times]]|date=1 March 2022|access-date=1 June 2024|archive-date=24 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240624195523/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/ic814-victim-rupin-katyal-gets-justice-hijacker-ibrahim-killed-in-karachi-101646712210813.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ellis-Petersen|first1=Hannah|last2=Hassan|first2=Aakash|last3=Baloch|first3=Shah Meer|title=Indian government ordered killings in Pakistan, intelligence officials claim|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/04/indian-government-assassination-allegations-pakistan-intelligence-officials|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=4 April 2024|access-date=10 June 2024|archive-date=2 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902191622/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/04/indian-government-assassination-allegations-pakistan-intelligence-officials|url-status=live }}</ref> On 7 May 2025, [[Abdul Rauf Azhar]], one of the accused and alleged mastermind behind the hijacking and Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, another named suspect in the hijacking, were killed in an airstrike by the [[Indian Air Force]] in [[Bahawalpur]], Pakistan, as a part of [[Operation Sindoor]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Abdul Rauf Azhar, Jaish Terrorist & Mastermind Of IC-814 Hijacking, Killed In Operation Sindoor|url=https://www.news18.com/india/abdul-rauf-azhar-mastermind-of-ic-814-hijacking-killed-in-operation-sindoor-strikes-in-pakistan-9328542.html|date=8 May 2025|access-date=8 May 2025|work=[[News18]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-05-10 |title=Operation Sindoor: Who are the 5 key Pakistani terrorists killed in precision strikes by India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/operation-sindoor-who-are-the-5-key-pakistani-terrorists-killed-in-precision-strikes-by-india/articleshow/121053238.cms |access-date=2025-05-27 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
Captain Sharan was awarded the 1999 Safe Skies Award for "extraordinary coolness and courage in life-or-death circumstances".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.conway.com/wdf/safesky2.htm#1999|title=Indian Airlines Capt. Devi Sharan was awarded the 1999 Safe Skies Award|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050511003857/http://www.conway.com/wdf/safesky2.htm#1999|access-date=2 September 2024|archive-date=11 May 2005|work=Conway}}</ref>

=== Books ===
The incident has the subject of several books including various books co-authored by various members of the flight crew.
* ''Flight into Fear – A Captain's Story'' (2000) by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury<ref>{{cite book|author1=Devi Sharan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ktEVAQAAMAAJ|title=Flight Into Fear: The Captain's Story|author2=Srinjoy Chowdhury|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|year=2000|isbn=978-0-140-29755-3|access-date=29 June 2021|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629201839/https://books.google.com/books?id=ktEVAQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> 
* ''IC 814 Hijacked! The Inside Story'' (2000) by Flight engineer Anil Jaggia and Saurabh Shukla<ref>{{cite book|author1=Anil K. Jaggia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A9EVAQAAMAAJ|title=IC814 Hijacked!: The Inside Story|author2=Saurabh Shukla|publisher=Lotus Collection|year=2000|isbn=978-8-17436-109-7|access-date=29 June 2021|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629201839/https://books.google.com/books?id=A9EVAQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> 
* ''[[173 Hours in Captivity]]'' (2000) by [[Neelesh Misra]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Misra|first=Neelesh|author-link=Neelesh Misra|title=173 Hours in Captivity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I7teK7XksfYC|year=2000|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|isbn=8-172-23394-9|access-date=22 October 2020|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020222616/https://books.google.com/books?id=I7teK7XksfYC|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''IA's Terror Trail'' (2020) by [[flight purser]] Anil Sharma and official Ajit Doval<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sharma|first1=Anil|title=IA's Terror Trail|last2=Doval|first2=Ajit K.|date=1 January 2014|id={{ASIN|935156181X|country=in}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/how-families-deal-with-the-trauma-of-losing-a-loved-one-in-aviation-tragedies/articleshow/33222460.cms?from=mdr|title=How families deal with the trauma of losing a loved one in aviation tragedies|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=9 August 2021|archive-date=9 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809102141/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/how-families-deal-with-the-trauma-of-losing-a-loved-one-in-aviation-tragedies/articleshow/33222460.cms?from=mdr|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Film and television ===
*''[[Zameen (2003 film)|Zameen]]'' (2003): A [[Bollywood]] film loosely based upon the IC 814 hijacking and [[Operation Entebbe]] of the [[Israel Defense Forces]].<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gq-CBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT261 |chapter=Taking Flight: 10 Aircraft and Photos |title=Bollybook: The Big Book of Hindi Movie Trivia |author=Diptakirti Chaudhuri |publisher=[[Penguin UK]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-9-35118-799-8 |access-date=27 September 2020 |archive-date=3 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203103736/https://books.google.com/books?id=gq-CBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT261 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
* ''Combatting Terror'' (2007): The incident was part of the episode "Air Hijack" in the series featured on [[National Geographic (American TV channel)|National Geographic Channel]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/05/stories/2007090550450200.htm|title=Inside the world of terror|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830021215/http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/05/stories/2007090550450200.htm|archive-date=30 August 2008|date=5 September 2007|access-date=5 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* ''[[Hijack (2008 film)|Hijack]]'' (2008): A [[Hindi]] film by Kunal Shivdasani, starring [[Shiney Ahuja]] and [[Esha Deol]] based on the incident.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hijack|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/hijack/|work=Bollywood Hungama|date=5 September 2008 |access-date=27 June 2020|archive-date=29 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629144951/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/hijack/|url-status=live}}</ref> 
* ''[[Kandahar (2010 film)|Kandahar]]'' (2010): A [[Malayalam]] film by [[Major Ravi]] based on the hijack event.<ref>{{cite news|date=14 April 2010|title=Big B in 'Kandahaar' along with Sunil Shetty|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/56171.html|work=Indiaglitz|access-date=23 November 2010|archive-date=13 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613165229/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/56171.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 
* ''[[Payanam (2011 film)|Payanam]]'' (2011): A [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film by [[Radha Mohan]] based on a similar incident involving an Indian Airlines flight.<ref>{{cite news|title=Prakash Raj confirms Payanam on Dec 3|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/prakash-raj-confirms-payanam-on-dec-3-news-tamil-kldldmaiceb.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106020214/http://sify.com/movies/prakash-raj-confirms-payanam-on-dec-3-news-tamil-kldldmaiceb.html|archive-date=6 November 2010|access-date=25 October 2011|work=[[Sify]]}}</ref> 
* [[Yodha (2024 film)|Yodha]] (2024): A Hindi film directed by Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha references the incident.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nationalist Hindi Films' Impact on Elections |url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/art-and-culture/nationalist-hindi-films-impact-on-elections-11712925865926.html |work=[[Livemint]] |access-date=1 June 2024 |archive-date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526085703/https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/art-and-culture/nationalist-hindi-films-impact-on-elections-11712925865926.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 
* ''[[IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack]]'' (2024): A [[Netflix]] [[web series]] by [[Anubhav Sinha]] based on the incident.<ref name="BS"/><ref name="IE"/>

== See also ==
*[[List of hijackings of Indian aeroplanes|List of hijackings of Indian airplanes]]
*[[1971 Indian Airlines hijacking]]
*[[Air India Flight 182]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Macdonald |first=Myra |year=2017 |title=Defeat Is an Orphan: How Pakistan Lost the Great South Asian War |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LxgxDgAAQBAJ |publisher=Hurst & Co. |isbn=978-1-84904-858-3}}

== External links ==
*{{ASN accident|id=19991224-1|type=Hijacking}}
*[http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jan/06ia.htm Photographs of the hijackers]
*[http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/jan2000/msg00095.html My experiences aboard IC-814 by a passenger] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20051113224609/http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/jan2000/msg00095.html Archive])

{{Aviation incidents and accidents in 1999}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in India}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Afghanistan}}
{{Air India}}
{{Portal bar|Nepal|India|Aviation|Afghanistan|Pakistan|United Arab Emirates|1990s}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A300]]
[[Category:Vajpayee administration]]
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[[Category:2000 millennium attack plots]]
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[[Category:Afghanistan–India relations]]
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