14 ANNIVERSARY 26/11 ATTACKS-Intelligence Operations-Actionable Intellig...

Intelligence Operations-Actionable Intelligence is the Key

·         The failure to collect HUMINT in the intelligence gathering process must be urgently addressed. While the RAW , IB, Indian Army are foremost practitioners of HUMINT, the skills must be passed on to IN and ICG.

·         Intelligence Failures must be studied regularly so as not to commit the same mistakes again.

·         We need intelligence about smugglers, criminals involved in smuggling of arms, ammunition, narcotics, fake currency ,illegal migrants etc.

·         We need to create intelligence folders for all coastal districts containing intelligence about suspects, vulnerable areas on the coast line. intelligence about sea wing of various terror organizations must be updated .Gaps, if any, must be removed.

·         When and where will the next terror attack take place on the coast is question that needs to be answered.

·         Sabotage should not been ruled out, in most  accidents of naval vessels Sabotage, subversion must be guarded against.

·         With the drug menace only increasing in the metro cities on the coast, the  NCB has to get its act together.

·         NTRO has tremendous potential and it should be tasked to focus on Gulf countries ,Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coastlines for asymmetric challenges.

·         The economic intelligence wing of all above organizations should be tasked to focus on front organizations of antinational elements and their known supporters. Intelligence encirclement of India by inimical forces must be broken.

·         Demographic invasion from Bangladesh is a serious security threat. They have flooded the coastal areas .We will have to detect and deport them.

·         We need an organization which will carry out offensive cyber operations against the hackers from inimical countries.

·         IN,ICG and police should conduct intelligence-based smart operations.

·         Costal security agencies must make full use of the intelligence data base created by NATGRID. It will help identify, capture and prosecute terrorists and help pre empt asymmetric challenges. NATGRID is the way ahead.

·         Creation of ‘National Academy of Coastal intelligence’ will boost quality of intelligence

·         Private sector participation in intelligence collection, especially for own security and counter intelligence is required.

·         We require dedicated cyber warfare cell for maritime, coastal security.

·         Use of geospatial technologies for maritime security will be of immense help.

·         Informers, fishing cooperatives for data collection is important.

·         Cooperation for intelligence Sharing, media and information warfare at international level will help us to work out data base of suspects with the help of friendly countries.

·         There are a plethora of intelligence agencies but what is more important is proper tasking of all available agencies for stopping all dangers to the coastline. The operational commanders of IN, ICG and Police should understand their capabilities and limitations of each of them and task them accordingly.

·         Police, Naval and ICG leadership should be able to give clear directives to intelligence organization and must monitor it. The success or failure of an intelligence system will depend upon the directions given to it by senior officers of IN, ICG, CISF and police. Intelligence collection is a formidable challenge which must be met head on.