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Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Tapan Deka is set to have longest tenure as IB chief in over 30 years
The government Tuesday gave another extension, of one year, to Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Tapan Deka – giving him four years in office, the longest for an IB chief in over three decades. The extension underlines the trust the Modi government reposes in Deka for management of internal security matters. Sources said it comes on the back of several strides made by the IB under Deka's leadership in the recent past, including generating specific intelligence in coordination with the R&AW on terror targets within Pakistan that were hit during Operation Sindoor. Under him, the IB also spruced up its Multi Agency Centre (MAC), which was recently inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. A platform for coordinating intelligence-sharing among various security agencies, including those at the state level, the MAC under Deka has adopted new technologies that are expected to make it more efficient and effective. 'It is his initiative. He has pushed for adoption of new tools to analyse inputs. The electronic network for sharing information has been upgraded. It will improve situational awareness,' a security establishment officer said. Sources said Deka has also earned the government's trust by his ability to gauge its objectives, and to achieve the same without much fuss. 'Immediately after he took over as the IB chief, he coordinated action against the Popular Front of India (PFI). Not only was the organisation banned, but there was a nationwide crackdown with a whole-of-government approach. This was a task pending for years. But he got it done without much trouble,' a Home Ministry official said. Sources also gave the example of Kashmir. 'The IB under him has managed the affairs in the Valley pretty well, barring the setback of the Pahalgam terror attack. There too, the IB had given an input of possible attack on tourists, although it was not specific to Pahalgam. Violence in general has gone down in the past few years and law and order has been under control. Last year, only four youths joined militant ranks from the Valley,' an intelligence officer from J&K said. In fact, sources said, it was his work in J&K as Special Director of the IB, that first earned him the trust of the Union Home Minister, leading to his elevation as IB chief superseding his senior A Sema Rajan. Deka had arrived in J&K relatively raw, having never worked exclusively in the region. This was post the abrogation of Article 370, and amid a series of attacks on civilians by 'hybrid' terrorists, as those who mostly functioned as overground workers of terror outfits were called. In 2021-22, when there were killings of some migrants and Kashmiri Pandits, Deka visited the Valley almost every fortnight. 'He ensured the killings came down. And he managed it without ruffling any feathers in the Valley establishment,' an officer said, adding that the fact that he was discreet and kept his own counsel were other qualities that appealed to the Modi government. Since 2021, even before he became the IB chief, Deka has accompanied Shah on almost all his visits to J&K. Sources said that under Deka, the IB has also generated credible intelligence in the Left Wing Extremism zones in the country, ensuring seamless coordination between state and Central agencies and forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations. This, sources said, has been among the key reasons for the success of security forces in Chhattisgarh's Maoist zones. A 1988-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, Deka started his IB stint in the early '90s with a posting in the Northeast, at a time when insurgent movements were at their peak. Soon, he had demonstrated his ability to handle complex situations. He later served in the Northeast again at the level of Additional Director. His longest and most important stint started with his move to the Operations branch of the IB, where he spent more than a decade. The branch handles matters of terrorism across the country and generates intelligence to neutralise the same. Deka was the Operations Joint Director when the Indian Mujahideen (IM) carried out a series of terror attacks. The IB under Deka tracked almost each of its operatives over the years and brought them to book. The IM has been practically incapacitated since 2012, when Yasin Bhatkal was arrested from Nepal, followed by the subsequent arrest of Tehsin Akhtar. Deka was also in charge during the rise of the Islamic State, and was instrumental in shaping India's response to recruits joining the organisation from the country. India had adopted a calibrated response, where first-time offenders attracted to the Islamic State were merely counselled and let go, instead of being arrested. Deka was also handling Operations during the 2015-16 Pathankot air base attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. When he became the IB chief, he followed in the footsteps of Ajit Doval and Nehchal Sandhu, who also handled Operations before heading the agency. Deka's colleagues laud his ability to remain calm and composed even in extreme pressure situations. 'He rarely gets angry or is flustered and is soft spoken. It is also very comfortable to work with him since he takes everyone along and respects every opinion,' said one of his colleagues. The extension for Deka comes at a time when the Pahalgam attack – different from other attacks in specifically targeting tourists, and after determining their religious affiliation – is a cause of concern for the security establishment. Apart from what the terror strike means for Kashmir, the IB chief is also staring at the challenge of the rise of terrorism in the Jammu region in the past three years.
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
IB chief Deka's tenure extended for 1 more year
New Delhi: Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Tapan Deka has been granted a one-year extension till June 2026, an official said on Tuesday. 'Superspy' Deka is known for expertise in handling Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and radicalisation-related cases and has a proven track record in handling matters related to Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the Northeast region. He also has experience in leading operations against the terror group Indian Mujahideen, which was behind subversive activities across the country in the 2000s. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension in service of Shri Tapan Kumar Deka, IPS (HP:88) as Director, Intelligence Bureau for a period of one year beyond 30.06.2025 or until further orders, whichever is earlier, in relaxation of the provisions of FR 56 (d) and Rule 16 (1A) of All India Services (Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958," the government order stated. This is the second successive one-year extension in the top post for the 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre. He has been granted an extension in service under the rules that allow the central government to extend in "public interest" the services of the chiefs of IB and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary and others, beyond the 60-year age of superannuation.
United News of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Tapan Deka gets 1-year extension as Intelligence Bureau chief
New Delhi, May 20 (UNI) The Union Government has extended the tenure of Tapan Kumar Deka, IPS (HP:1988), as Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) by one year beyond June 30, 2025, or until further orders. A formal notification issued by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Tuesday confirmed the extension. The decision to continue his service beyond the superannuation age comes under the relaxation of Fundamental Rule 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958. Deka, who hails from the Himachal Pradesh cadre, is known for his extensive counter-terrorism experience and has served in several high-profile internal security assignments over the years. He was appointed as Director, IB, in June 2022 and is now poised to complete four years at the helm. This is the second consecutive year the government has granted an extension to Deka, reaffirming its trust in his leadership during a sensitive time for national security. With this, Deka joins a rare league of senior intelligence officials to have received such an extension, a distinction earlier granted to the current CBI Director Praveen Sood, also from the Himachal cadre. Deka becomes the second top officer from Himachal Pradesh to hold a pivotal post in India's internal security framework at this level. The notification, issued by Manisha Saxena, Secretary, Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, has been circulated to all top constitutional offices and ministries, including the Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The extension is being seen as a move to ensure continuity in intelligence leadership amid dynamic security challenges both domestically and internationally. UNI ML SS
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Government extends tenure of Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Kumar Deka
NEW DELHI: (IB) director was on Tuesday granted a second one-year extension, which will make him the longest serving head of the since the IB chief's tenure was fixed at two years in 2005. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Deka's fourth year at the IB's helm comes in the wake of the success of , undertaken by the armed forces in retaliation to the killing of 26 civilians in a terror attack in J&K's Pahalgam. Nine terror bases in PoK and deep inside Pakistan were hit under the operation and it eventually saw the armed forces strike Pakistan's key military assets, including an air defence system in Lahore and the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi. Deka, 62, is a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre. A counter-terrorism expert, he was appointed as IB director in June 2022, and granted a year's extension upon completion of his two-year tenure in June 2024. On Tuesday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved yet another one-year extension beyond June 30, 2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The extension was granted in relaxation of the provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(d) — which bars extension in service beyond 60 years of age — and as per Rule 16 (1A) of the All India Services (Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, which grants the Centre power to extend the service of specified high-ranking officials 'in the public interest'. Earlier, his predecessors Rajiv Jain and Arvind Kumar were granted six-month and one-year extensions, respectively, beyond their fixed terms. Known as an 'operations man' in the intelligence fraternity, Deka is considered an expert in 'operations' in J&K as well as in the northeast region of the country. Deka was in charge of the counter-assaults during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. With a rich experience in tackling and Islamic radicalisation, Deka has led operations against the Indian Mujahideen — the terror group behind multiple serial blasts across India — that led to neutralisation of its top cadre based in India, breaking the outfit's back. Deka was also deputed in his home state Assam to handle the volatile situation that arose following large-scale violence after the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in 2019.
India Gazette
20-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
IB chief Tapan Deka gets one-year service extension
New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): The Central government has extended the tenure of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Kumar Deka by another year, affirming his continued leadership at the helm of India's premier intelligence agency. The extension was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to an official order issued on Tuesday, Deka's service will be extended for a period of one year beyond June 30, 2025, or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. The extension was granted by relaxing the provisions under Fundamental Rule (FR) 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958 -- a measure rarely used and indicative of the government's strong trust in Deka's leadership. Deka, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, was appointed as IB chief in July 2022 for a two-year term. He was previously granted an extension in 2023, which was to conclude in June 2025. Known for his operational expertise, Deka has had a long and distinguished career in the intelligence community. He is considered a key figure behind India's counterterrorism strategy and has played a pivotal role in several high-profile operations, including those targeting terrorist networks and insurgent groups. During his tenure, the IB has reportedly enhanced its coordination with other intelligence and enforcement agencies, strengthened surveillance on internal threats, and expanded its role in handling cyber threats and counter-radicalisation efforts. This extension comes at a time of heightened security concerns following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 tourists were gunned down by terrorists. Deka's extension is significant as India prepares for potential challenges in its internal security environment. His continued presence at the helm is expected to provide strategic continuity and operational stability to the intelligence framework. (ANI)
