Major changes in the hierarchy of Intelligence agencies including IB and RAW, particularly in the operations set up, are in the offing with Narendra Modi set to take charge as the Prime Minister.
The move is being mulled over with a view to tone up the functioning of intelligence agencies besides enhancing their professional output. During the UPA II regime, a number of professional gaps were noticed in the functioning of the agencies and the same is under review now, a source said.
While RAW chief Alok Joshi briefed Modi on the overall geo-strategic scenario on Monday, a special director of IB briefed the PM-elect on the internal security situation. Modi is learnt to have told them to further strengthen the ongoing projects in different areas. Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami also made a presentation before him on Monday.
The IB’s advice to the UPA II Government not to tinker with the restrictive visa regime for Chinese tourists is likely to be revisited. An estimated three lakh Chinese tourists could have visited India if the travel regime was relaxed towards them.
Rationalisation of outbound pilgrims from India is also a possibility. Till date, the Government allows only 1,000 pilgrims to visit shrines in Kailashmansarovar (China) and Sikh religious places in Pakistan but 20 lakh pilgrims go for Haz on a subsidised pilgrimage.
On the internal situation, the agencies failed in gauging the AAP phenomenon before it overthrew the erstwhile regime under Sheila Dixit of the Congress. On the external theatre, the agencies could not influence the Pakistan Government’s move in March this year appointing a hardliner Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the chief of the Strategic Plans Division that controls the nuclear arsenal of that country. Gen Kidwai was replaced as he was considered a pro-US officer and a rebellion was brewing in the agency there by the hardliners who successfully propagated that the Pak Army was sold out to US and India. Hayat has taken an anti-India stance in the internal deliberations there, the source said.
The sources also indicated that an aggressive economic intelligence agency could be mooted soon with to provide comprehensive insight on secure investment by Indian companies in foreign destinations. Presently, a unit in the foreign missions does the job.