A decade after the practice of daily briefing to the Prime Minister by the chiefs of Intelligence agencies was discontinued during the UPA-I and II Governments, Secretary of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has restarted the morning presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
RAW is the premier external Intelligence agency and its chief briefs the PM for 15 minutes every morning. RAW Secretary Alok Joshi has been briefing the PM daily since June 2. With Modi giving clear priority to foreign policy and fostering better relations with a host of countries around the world, the insights and perspectives on geo-strategic issues by the external Intelligence agency will further boost the strategic relations with India’s partners, an official said.
The Iintelligence agencies are focusing even on issues like growth in consumption pattern in the country and how market access can be leveraged for boosting partnerships with other countries, the official pointed out. Daily briefings for the PM from chiefs of Defence and economic Intelligence agencies are also being planned in future, sources said. They said a dedicated economic Intelligence agency for the Indian mission abroad could be mooted with a view to provide comprehensive insights on secure investments by Indian companies in foreign destinations. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s foreign policy priorities were limited to US and a few other major countries like Japan.
However, even the partnership with the US witnessed a downslide recently due to a number of reasons, including unforthcoming cooperation on access to 2008 Mumbai terror accused David Coleman Headley and the spat over the humiliating search and arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade. This apart, a dwindling economy due to policy paralysis and uncertain taxation regime further put off a number of Governments, including the US.
The US had not cooperated on Headley in the desired manner despite India providing American agencies unhindered access to question the lone terrorist arrested in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, who was subsequently hanged after due process of law. The UPA Government had allowed access to American agencies CIA and FBI despite objections by the RAW and Intelligence Bureau, a pointer to the gaps in appreciation of vital inputs from specialised agencies.
Former National Security Advisor MK Narayanan (Jan 2005-Jan 2010) and his successor Shivshankar Menon (Feb 2010-May 2014) exercised considerable clout over the foreign policy establishment and took presentations from RAW and later had briefed the PM, sources said. Having earned a decisive mandate in the just-concluded parliamentary polls, Modi was flooded with calls from heads of various foreign Governments, many of whom invited the PM to visit their respective countries.
Days after assuming charge as PM, Modi has a busy foreign travel schedule ahead as he is slated to visit Bhutan, his first stop abroad, Japan, Brazil, the US and China. Date for Modi’s visit to China is likely to be discussed during Chinese foreign minister’s visit here on Sunday. Modi had also invited SAARC leaders for his swearing in as PM last month, in a clear indication of high foreign policy priority for the immediate neighbourhood.