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Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
NSAB chairman Alok Joshi urges enhanced intelligence sharing among government agencies to break agency silos
NSAB chairman Alok Joshi urges enhanced intelligence sharing among government agencies to break agency silos GANDHINAGAR: National Security Advisory Board chairman Alok Joshi on Thursday emphasised the need for intelligence sharing among govt agencies for better results and asserted that one of the challenges agencies face is breaking the silos in which they operate. Joshi, who was addressing delegates at the 'Police Technology Summit 2025' at Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar, headed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), apex level agencies in the country's intelligence mechanism, before helming NSAB. "India stands at a pivotal moment where technology can revolutionize law enforcement. However, success of this revolution depends on collecting data and analysing it, sharing it swiftly within and across agencies and recalibrating systems through feedback, all the while placing the human factor at the heart of our efforts," Joshi said in his address. "One of the challenges that India is facing is breaking the silos without compromising on the principle of 'need to know'. I think that is something which is central to our system and it will not go away," the retired IPS officer said. National Security Advisory Board chairman Alok Joshi gave an example of NTRO having refused to share an intelligence input when he was heading RAW. "When I was heading the RAW, we did an operation in the adversary country and the operation was a success, and we knew exactly what was going to be the pushback. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรดทองCFDs กับโบรกเกอร์ที่เชื่อถือได้ | เรียนรู้เพิ่มเติม IC Markets สมัคร Undo Security levels were raised and precautions were taken," said Joshi. At that time, NTRO gave an input to RAW, indicating that there was "something brewing", Joshi said. "So I reached out to the then chairman of NTRO and requested him to show me the excerpts of that intercept. Unfortunately, he took a different opinion. A view was taken that they cannot show the intercept because of certain security reasons. That was their assessment," he said. "But this thing stuck in my mind. Within three months, I was in NTRO (as chief). After I settled, the first thing I did was to call for that file. And believe me, if the contents of that message had been shown to me, it would have been a different story. After all, we were both heading security organizations," Joshi said. Asserting that analysing and operationalising intelligence is equally important, Joshi said all officials must remember that someone is the consumer of the information they are receiving. "What would you expect the consumer to do with that information? I think this is something that has to be ingrained in the system, both at the time of collection, and at the time of dissemination," he said. He said no intelligence is complete without feedback, but it is equally difficult to get feedback on the input shared with other agencies. "It is very difficult, but as a producer, it is your duty to chase it. Ensure that you get feedback or have a relationship with that organization where you have the trust and the confidence built in to give you that feedback," he added. During his address, Joshi also said the govt should share the development cost incurred by entrepreneurs building indigenous technologies. "If you want to strengthen your indigenous effort, you have to pay the cost for it. The development cost has to be shared by the govt. At NSAB, we have started taking a re-look at the procurement process, especially for policing and security agencies. It is necessary because you can't have a no cost-no commitment principle. Working in this kind of environment, it will just not work. It will not encourage the industry," he stressed. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
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First Post
08-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
How India precisely tracked terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, PoK
Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precise strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The plan of the operation was devised by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his team. The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), which reports to the National Security Council headed by the NSA, also played a key role read more People shout slogans as they celebrate in Ahmedabad, Wednesday, May 7, 2025 after India fired missiles into Pakistan and PoK early Wednesday. AP India-Pakistan tensions are at an all-time high. The Indian armed forces retaliated against the Pahalgam terror attack by launching missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on early Wednesday (May 7). Dubbed Operation Sindoor, India targeted 21 terror camps and training facilities across nine locations in Pakistan and PoK. The strikes were 'focused, measured, and non-escalatory", ensuring that no military facilities were hit, the government said. But how did India plan such precise strikes while 'avoiding unnecessary provocation', as the Ministry of Defence said? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We will explain. How Operation Sindoor was planned After Pakistan-linked terrorists killed 26 men, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to 'identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers.' Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK where attacks against India were planned, avenged the Pahalgam massacre as well as other previous terror attacks that shocked the country. Two of the hit targets included the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) Markaz Taiba in Muridke. It was National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his team who planned the precise strikes against Pakistan and PoK under the Sindoor operation. He led a special team that was tasked with collecting vital intelligence on terrorist activities in Pakistan and PoK, as per a News18 report. The team identified and monitored new terrorist hideouts to accurately locate every target. These sites were surveilled around the clock, especially the movements or any changes in the terror camps. After drawing up an extensive attack plan, NSA Doval shared the details with PM Modi. It was agreed during their discussions that only terrorist hideouts would be hit, ensuring minimal collateral damage, reported News18. NSA Doval then met his team to fine-tune the strategy as per the PM's orders. The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) was charged with gathering final intelligence required for the operation's success. After charting the plan, Doval met PM Modi, who gave his approval. Only selected people were briefed on Operation Sindoor. Later, a control room, under NSA Doval's command, was set up. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A satellite image shows Markaz Taiba following airstrikes in Muridke, Pakistan, May 7, 2025. Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters And then between 1.05 am and 1.30 am on Wednesday, the Indian armed forces pulled off Operation Sindoor. At least 100 terrorists were killed in Pakistan and PoK, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting today. What is NTRO? The NTRO is India's technical intelligence wing, which reports to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the National Security Council headed by NSA Ajit Doval. The agency was formed in 2004 in the wake of the 1999 Kargil War. In 2017, the NTRO was put under The Intelligence Organisations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985. This meant the agency's employees would have the same 'norms of conduct' as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), resricting the freedom of employees. As per an article in the Raksha-Anirveda magazine, the NTRO is responsible for intercepting and examining communications signals, imagery intelligence, and cyber intelligence. It also provides technical assistance to intelligence agencies like the IB and R&AW. The agency also maintains a database of information concerning technology and develops advanced tools for intelligence gathering, along with conducting scientific and technical research and development. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The NTRO also provides geospatial intelligence and imagery analysis. It works closely with other agencies like the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Indian Space Research Organisation, the National Informatics Centre, and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, according to the Raksha-Anirveda article. The piece also noted that the NTRO played a key role by providing intelligence inputs during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Uri attack, the Balakot airstrike, and the Galwan Valley clash. The agency has helped in detecting and foiling cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in India. With inputs from agencies
