TRUE FACE OF RAW
Osman23
finds a mention in the Indian Vedas, one of the most - if not the most -
ancient of the human texts. References to espionage are also discernible in the
ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Greece and China. The Chinese
sage Sun Tzu is considered by European scholars to be the first to study and
analyse the whole question of espionage on scientific lines, and to set it down
in a text book Ping Fa, The Art of War. This view is, however, not
substantiated by cogent facts since there is ample proof of the greater
antiquity and soundness of the system of Secret Services enunciated by the
early Indians.
Varuna, one of the chief gods of the Vedic pantheon is considered to be a
forerunner of Secret Services. Magha, one of the most erudite and lucid poets
and pragmatic thinkers, unequivocally asserted that statecraft cannot exist
without the assistance of espionage. He writes:-
'The statecraft in which even a single step is not taken in contravention of
the science of dandaniti {(i.e. the law of danda (the rod)} which provides
decent living (to the officers) and in which liberal grants are given in
recognition of services rendered, does not shine to advantage without (the
employment of ) spies, just as the science of grammar does not shine without
Papasa Bhasya (the introductory portion of Patanjali's Mahabhasya), though it
is provided with Nyasa (a commentary of that name) which strictly follows the
words of the Sutras (of Panini), a good vrtti (explanatory work) and an
excellent Bhasya (advance work of explanation, discussion and criticism)'.
- (Sisupala - vadha, 2.112)
Secret Agencies in ancient India were not conceived of as an instrument of
oppression but as a tool of governance. Secret agents were considered as 'eyes
of the king'.
Indian history illustrates that ancient Indians had gained great expertise in
this secret art. The techniques and operational methods adopted by them were
highly advanced, and can be usefully emulated today. From the spasas of Varuna,
the fore-runners of the modern globe-trotting spies (the etymological affinity
of the two terms is noticeable) to Chanakya's final manifestation of this art
in the Arthasastra which is in fact a systematic codification of a wide variety
of scattered information copiously found in the Epics, - the Mahabharata and
the Ramayana - the Puranas and literary works of Bhasa, Kalidasa, Magha and
Bana; and the Tamil Sangam literature, transcends unprecedented heights in this
discipline.
The vision of the Arthashastra, is truly breath taking, its practical utility
timeless and the clarity of its exposition unique. The techniques of
manipulating public opinion and creating disinformation, propounded by Chanakya
anticipated modern intelligence systems by several centuries. No wonder then
that the nearly 2500 years old lessons in deceit, guile, hypocrisy,
machination, and gore taught by that Master strategist, Chanakya alias Kautilya
(literally meaning 'crooked') was adopted in toto by India and its chief
intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
While laying the foundation stone of RAW, India's late Prime Minister Mrs.
Indira Gandhi approvingly quoted Louis F Hallis, when she said that its
objectives should be the 'Ability to get what one wants by whatever means:
eloquence, reasoned arguments, bluff, tirade, threat or coercion, as well as,
by arousing pity, annoying others, or making them uneasy'.
RAW is basically a Secret Service established to perform clandestine operations
based on the Chanakyan principles of deceit and guile. It has successfully
destabilised neighbouring countries, disintegrated independent states and
backed the most notorious guerrilla organizations to achieve its ends. If it is
compared to other intelligence agencies of the region, it emerges as an
aggressive, cold-blooded and ruthless institution, engaged in the most macabre
deeds.
The organization and structure of RAW will be discussed in the second part of
this paper. But to appreciate its working we must, first examine the origin and
organization of India's ancient secret agencies.
Origin and Organization of Secret Agencies in Ancient India
The origin and development of Secret Agencies in ancient India is linked to the
geopolitical conditions of the times when India was dotted with small states
attempting to grab each other's territory and wealth. The art of espionage was
thoroughly mastered, and almost all ancient Indian literary sources
exhaustively dealt with this system. Spying came to be regarded as an
indispensable feature and integral part of an efficient administration and of a
sound foreign policy. It kept the rulers posted with the activities,
afflictions, and operations of political adversaries: their disloyal and
disgruntled elements, fifth columnists and foreign agents in their midst, also
the strength and intentions of all foreign power. Espionage was considered to
be as important an institution as diplomacy, and was sought to be governed by
certain definite rules and usages. In Chanakya, the secret service department
became a permanent feature of the state and was organised in the most
'uninhibited manner'.
While Chanakya presents a highly developed and complicated system of governance
including an all-pervasive espionage system, references to it are found in
pre-Mauryan literature, too. The Mahabharata refers to a mythological tradition
on the origin of the dandaniti and the art of espionage, which was handed down
from the past. It expounds 'Brahma, the creator, himself composed a work
comprising 1,00,000 chapters relating to dharma (religion), artha (economy),
kama (sexual desire) and moksa (spiritual salvation) - the four aspects of
life.' Brahma's compilation, according to the Great Epic, included subjects of
behaviour towards counsellors, of spies, the indication of princes, of secret
agents possessed of diverse means, of envoys, and agents of other kinds,
conciliation, fomenting discord, gifts and chastisement; deliberations
including counsels for producing disunion; the three kinds of victory, first,
that which served righteously, secondly, which was won by wealth, and, thirdly,
the one obtained by deceitful ways; chastisement of two kinds, namely, open and
secret; the disorder created in the hostile troops; inspiring the enemy with
fear; the means of winning over persons residing in the enemy territory; and
finally, the chastisement and destruction of those that are strong.'
No other civilization can claim such an antiquity for the techniques of war,
diplomacy, intrigue and espionage and on such compulsive terms.
In short, Varuna and other deities of the Vedic pantheon heavily depended on
their secret agents. Manu, Kamandaka, Yajnavalkya and Chanakya, besides the
later digest writers, deliberated on the art of espionage, while Chanakya
perfected the art and recommended the organisation of secret agencies in the
most unabashed manner. Professor Ghoshal suggests that the Mauryas followed the
Arthasastra tradition in four respects, i.e. precautions in recruiting spies,
countrywide espionage, safeguards against false reports by secret agents and
enlistment of the services of loose women.
Organization
The modest origin of secret agents in the form of Varuna's spasas brought about
the imperative need for effective and vigorous espionage in an
institutionalized form. The blue-print on espionage prepared by Chanakya has
remained a model for successive generations. Various aspects of the
organization of a secret agency as discussed in complete detail in the
Arthasastra are briefly touched upon here.
* Category of Agents. The Arthasastra mentions two wings of 'secret service',
viz. 'samstha' and 'sancara'. The agents belonging to 'samstha' were stationed
in the Establishment financed by the State, whereas the 'sancaras' moved from
place to place depending on professional requirements. The spymasters of the
two wings headed their respective cadre of agents, and controlled their
operations. The members of one group were not aware of the existence of the
other. This classification of Chanakya has been followed in India throughout
the successive centuries.
* Recruitment of Secret Agents. A study of Arthasastra, the Mahabharata, the
Ramayana, the Manusmriti, Kamandaka and Sukra reveals that there was no fixed
source of recruitment of secret agents. Modern intelligence services generally
resort to three main sources of recruitment, the academic world, the armed
services and the under-world. This was also the pattern followed in ancient
India.
* Training. After recruitment, the secret agents were put through a rigorous
training in the techniques of adopting disguises, changing appearances, science
of signalling, secret writing, detection and identification of criminals,
manipulating public opinion and creating dissensions in the enemy ranks.
* Control and Supervision. The complicated, comprehensive, all-pervasive and
ubiquitous institution of spies in ancient India necessitated very close and
personal supervision of the ruler or his most reliable officers. It must have
been difficult for the king to personally handle the comprehensive and
complicated department of intelligence. According to the Arthasastra, the
department of external affairs, which was covering military intelligence was
managed by the king with the help of his foreign minister and the
Commander-in-Chief. The agents detailed to cover the senior officers of the
central government certainly reported to the king directly. In the far-flung
areas of extensive kingdoms and in view of poor means of communication, the
action specially in times of war had to be taken by men on the spot and not by
the king who may be at a place far distant from the field of action. In foreign
countries the spies were kept under the control and supervision of ambassadors
who scrutinised their reports and directed intelligence operations. According
to Chanakya, the institution of spies as an organization did not function under
a unified command. The spies and secret agents worked under their respective
heads of department, and also directly under the king.
Techniques of Espionage
Before discussing the working of RAW, it would be worthwhile to briefly examine
some of the techniques of espionage employed by the ancient secret agencies of
India.
* Motivation and Recruitment of Sources. Motivation of persons to cater
intelligence is directly proportionate to their weakness for sex and money,
besides the burning desire of revenge or insatiable hunger for power. The
Spymasters of ancient India exploited these weaknesses to their fullest
advantage, and even the modern intelligence agencies heavily depend on these
considerations. Chanakya advocated that the weak should be subjugated by means
of conciliation and gifts, the strong by means of dissension and force.
* Selection and Infiltration of Targets. Chanakya, in a very subtle manner and
with an intimate knowledge of human psychology, selected his targets in foreign
lands depending on their weaknesses and motivation. He advised secret agents to
concentrate on targets:-
* Among those who are dissatisfied with the rulers or had been humiliated or
exiled;
* Who have not been compensated for their expenditure;
* Those who have been deprived of their rightful inheritance to office;
* Whose women have been molested by force;
* Who were wrongly imprisoned;
* Whose property had been confiscated;
* Who are prone to blackmail due to some weakness.
Double-Agent Operation. A 'Double-Agent' is a spy who works for the opposition
while pretending loyalty to those who employ him. this technique is an
indispensable facet of agent-running and was extensively practised in ancient
India. Chanakya suggested that secret agents should not refuse pay from the
targets for working with them as their employees. This was to allay the
misgivings on the part of the targets. 'Double-Agents' were used for creating
dissensions and confusion among the confederates of the enemy. They floated
false documents, got them seized from the possession of the enemy's army
chiefs, and thus weakened the enemy. 'Double-Agents' were used to winning over
the confidence of their adopted masters by sacrificing a few exposed,
treacherous, disaffected or inefficient spies.
* Payment of Sources Encouragement of secret agents with money and honour was
considered an imperative necessity. The sources were paid both in cash and
kind, besides receiving extraordinary courtesies and favours. It was also
recommended that secret agents not only be rewarded for the job done by them
but, also, in the event of repeated mistakes, silent punishment-death-be
awarded to them.
* Communication of Intelligence Intelligence not properly and promptly conveyed
and which cannot be acted upon loses its value and validity. Besides this, the
Arthasastra, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Kamandaka and Kathasaritasagara all
recommend the use of coded language and signals.
* Interception of Mail Interception of messages, signals and letters by postal
censorship; monitoring and tapping telephones; and breaking codes is the
standard practice of modern intelligence agencies. In the ancient period, since
intelligence was communicated through pre-determined signals and with the
assistance of pigeons, secret agents must have made elaborate arrangements to
intercept these messages.
* Assessment of Information. The Arthasastra cautions against the placing of
reliance on agents without proper corroboration. It is repeatedly emphasised
that all aspects of a report must be gone through, including the source of
information, the mode of its collection and the past performance of a source
before it is accepted. Briefing and debriefing of secret agents was an
elaborate exercise, and they were trained to be precise, accurate and truthful
in reporting.
* Working Under 'Cover'. The institution of espionage in ancient India, like
modern times, required secret agents to work under some kind of 'cover' to
preserve secrecy. Chanakya institutionalized the art of working under the most
ingenious 'covers'. The most common disguises recommended by him were those of
ascetic, mendicant, merchant, artisan, wandering minstrel, artiste, cook,
barber and shampooer, bath and toilet attendant, deaf, dumb, eunuch and
prostitute. Chanakya recommends the use of women as effective tools of
espionage particularly those who were engaged in harlotry.
* Counter-Intelligence. A counter-intelligence operation is directed at
discovering the identities and methods of foreign spies and intelligence
officers working for the opposition. One of the most important duties of the
Secret Service in ancient India was to counteract the activities of such agents
operating within the country. Chanakya recommends that secret agents should
discover foreign spies by operating at the places of entertainment, conclaves
of people, among beggars, in gardens and public places, and the houses of
prominent citizens.
Disinformation and Dissension. Manipulation of public opinion is as important
an object of the State today as it was in ancient India. It is used to create
disharmony and distrust among the enemy's friends, ill-will among his allies,
loss of confidence in their leadership and disruption by psychological means
his capacity and will to fight. Chanakya had perfected the technique of
disinformation and highly eulogised the use of dissension in enemy's ranks for
winning a battle without any military action. His winning an extensive empire
for his student Chandragupta Maurya without fighting any mentionable battle is
aweŃ, and one may be excused to add: admirationŃ, inspiring feat, unparalleled
in history. The Sanskrit Classical drama Mudrakshasa has tried to depict it
dramatically but, at best, has only partially succeeded.
* Sabotage. The technique of sabotage, which the political strategists consider
as the penultimate means to vanquish an adversary, had been greatly perfected
in ancient India. Secret practices for sabotage were advocated by Chanakya to
ensure victory. As a preface to sabotage, he suggests the creation of an
atmosphere congenial to arousing terror, fear, demoralization, disappointment
and loss of confidence among the enemy ranks. Prior to launching a full-scale
assault on the enemy fort, Chanakya suggests implementation of secret measures
to weaken its defences not only physically but in all respects. These include
prevention of sowing the fields, destruction of the standing crops and cutting
of the enemy's supply lines.
He also advises free and uninhibited use of poison in the articles used by the
enemy. His detailed and scientifically valid knowledge of the subject has
earned for him a place in Arabic medical literature, that knows him as Ibn
Shanaq (son of Chanak). Some of the secret stratagems advocated by Chanakya
include the use of smoke with properties seriously affecting the vision, and,
arson or setting fires within the enemy fort.
* The employment of Visakanyas (Poison-damsels). Secret Agencies in ancient
India had perfected very ingenious techniques to subserve the interests of
their monarchs. Besides using the nascent technological advancement available
to them, they exploited human weakness for sex to achieve royal objectives.
Visakanya is a unique feature of the Indian genius to poison the monarch. These
venomous beauties can be classified, as follows:-
* A damsel whose body is saturated with gradual doses of poison, and who is
likely to transmit poison from her body to another person coming in contact
with her;
* A woman who treacherously captivates the heart of a person, and then mixes
poison in his food or drink;
* A girl who is, one way or the other, so much poisoned or infected with
disease that she is likely to convey her poison or disease to the person coming
in contact with her. A woman suffering from Venereal disease or, in the latest
situation one suffering from Aids is a Visakanya of this kind.
RAW AT WAR-II
What is not possible by deployment of force is possible by the use of
stratagem.The black cobra was defeated by the stratagem of the crow and the
golden chain.
-- Chanakya
Introduction
The first part of this article briefly traced out the history of secret
services in ancient India. Its chief progenitor was Chanakya, whose classic,
the Arthasastra, not only provides a fairly graphic account of the activities
of spies in the Mauryan and post-Mauryan polity but lays the foundation for the
'statecraft', guile and unscrupulous practices advocated by this master
strategist.
He goes on to recommend, 'In the work of espionage, all methods are admissible
Ń snooping, lying, bribing, poisoning, using women's wiles and the assassin's
knife. To a weak king menaced by strong neighbours, Chanakya's advice was to
rely chiefly on spies and wage what he described as a 'battle of intrigues'
(mantra yuddha) and 'secret wars' (kuta yuddha). The spies, in order to achieve
their objective, were to practice all kinds of fraud, artifice incendiarism and
robbery. Their objective was to demoralize the enemy's troops by circulating
false news, and seduce the allegiance of his minister and commanders. The
underlying idea seems to have been to keep the strong neighbour preoccupied
with domestic troubles thus making it impossible for him to launch a foreign
expedition. From the days of Chanakya, the rules of business of espionage have
not changed, at least the basic principles remain as before. The development of
science and technology has only given fresh impetus and tools to the art of
spying.
Evolution of RAW
Origins in the Directorate of Intelligence Bureau, created by the Raj in
November 1920 Ń during the Khilafat and Swaraj movements Ń out of the old
Criminal Intelligence Department (CID). In 1933, sensing the political turmoil
in the world which eventually led to the Second World War, the bureau's
responsibilities were increased to include the collection of intelligence along
India's borders. In 1947, after Independence, Sanjeevi Pillai took over as the
first Indian Director. Having been depleted of trained manpower by the exit of
the British and Muslims, Pillai tried to run the bureau along MI 5 lines.
Although in 1949, Pillai organized a small foreign intelligence set-up, the
inefficacy of it was proved by the Indian debacle in the Indo-China War of
1962, and the cry of 'not enough intelligence available', was taken up by the
Indian Chief of Army Staff, General Chaudhry, after the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
It was towards the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967 that the concept of a
separate foreign intelligence agency began to take concrete shape. In 1968,
after Indira Gandhi had taken over, it was decided that a full-fledged second
security service was needed. R. N. Kao, then a deputy director of IB, submitted
a blueprint for the new agency. Kao was appointed as the chief of India's first
foreign intelligence agency named as 'the Research and Analysis Wing' or RAW.
RAW takes shape
Having started humbly as a Wing of the main Intelligence Bureau with 250
personnel and an annual budget of Rs 2 crore (by a rough estimate), in the
early seventies, its annual budget had risen to Rs 30 crores while its
personnel numbered several thousand. In 1971, Kao had persuaded the government
to set up the Aviation Research Centre (ARC). The ARC's job was aerial
reconnaissance. It replaced the Indian Air Force's old reconnaissance aircraft
and by the mid-70s, RAW, through the ARC, had high quality aerial pictures of
the installations along the Chinese and Pakistani borders. By 1976, Kao had
been promoted to the rank of a fullfledged Secretary responsible for Security
and reporting directly to the Prime Minister. His rise had raised RAW to become
India's premier intelligence agency. RAW agents operated in virtually every
major embassy and high commission.
RAW's objectives
The objectives of RAW according to Asoka Raina's famous book Inside RAW (Vikas
Publishing House, New Delhi, 1981) have been:-
* To monitor the political and military developments in all the adjoining
countries, which have, direct bearing on India's national security and in the
formulation of its foreign policy.
* Secondly, RAW watched the development of international communism and the
schism between the two communist giants, the Soviet Union and The Republic of
China. For as in other countries both the powers had direct access to the
Communist Parties in India.
* Thirdly, the supply of military hardware to Pakistan mostly from European
countries, the USA and China, was of high priority.
* And last but not the least, the presence of a large ethnic Indian population
in foreign countries, provided a powerful lobby. These countries could back a
favourable policy in international councils, motivated by the ethnic Indian
group.
The Organization
RAW has been organized on the lines of the CIA. The following chart (source:
Inside RAW by Asoka Raina) signifies the organization of RAW and is
self-explanatory.
Training of RAW Agents
Recruitment: Initially, induction in RAW relied primarily on trained
intelligence officers who were recruited directly. These belonged to the
external wing of IB. However, quite a few were taken from police and other
services to fill the cadres of RAW owing to its sudden expansion. Later RAW
began recruiting promising fresh graduates from the Universities directly. The
criteria for selection are fairly stringent.
Basic Training: Basic training commences with 'pep talks' to boost the morale
of the new recruit. This is a ten days' phase in which the fresh inductee is
familiarized with the world of intelligence and espionage and alienated from
the spies of fiction. Common usages, technical jargon and classification of
information are taught. Case studies of other agencies like CIA, KGB, Chinese
Secret Agency and ISI are presented for study. He is also taught that an
intelligence organisation does not basically identify a friend from a foe, it
is the country's foreign policy that do.
Phase - II: The fresh recruit's training continues and he is now posted in some
remote outpost, attached to a Field Intelligence Bureau (FIB). His training
here lasts for a period of six months to a year. He is given a first hand
feeling of what it was to be out in the cold, in the danger area conducting
clandestine operation. During night exercises, under conditions of absolute
realism, he is taught infiltration and exfiltration. He is instructed to avoid
capture and if caught, how to face intensive interrogation; the art of
reconnoiter, making contacts, and, the numerous skills of operating an
intelligence mission. At the end of the field training, the new recruit is
brought back to the School for final polishing. Before his deployment in the
field, he is given exhaustive training in the art of self-defence, an
introduction to martial arts and the use of technical espionage devices. He is
also drilled in various administrative disciplines so that he could take his
place in the foreign missions without arousing suspicion. He is now ready to
operate under the cover of an Embassy to gather information, set up his own
network of informers, moles or operatives as the task may require.
Functions of RAW
The functions of RAW vary according to the target. Some functions for obtaining
strategic intelligence are outlined below:-
Collection of Information: Emphasis is laid on obtaining information essential
to Indian interests. Both overt and covert means are adopted.
Collection of Information : The vast myriad of data is sifted through,
classified and filed. The modern computer network in the 13-storey bombproof
building situated at Lodhi Road, New Delhi, is a great help.
Aggressive Intelligence: The primary mission of RAW includes aggressive
intelligence which comprise espionage, psychological warfare, subversion,
sabotage, terrorism and creating dissension, insurgency and, ultimately,
insurrection to destabilize the target country.
Modus Operandi
Foreign Missions: Foreign Missions provide an ideal cover and RAW centres in a
target country are generally located inside the Embassy premises.
Multinationals: RAW operatives find good covers in Multinational organizations.
NGOs and Cultural programmes are also popular screens to shield RAW activities.
Media: International media centres can easily absorb RAW operatives and provide
freedom of movement.
Collaboration with other agencies: RAW maintains active collaboration with
other secret services to meet its ends in a particular target country. Its
contacts with KGB of the former Soviet Union, KHAD, the erstwhile Afghan
agency, Mossad, CIA and MI6 have been well-known. A common interest being
Pakistan's Nuclear Programme.
Third Country Technique: RAW has been very active in obtaining information and
operating through third countries like the Middle East, Afghanistan, UK, Hong
Kong, Mayanmar and Singapore.
Spotting and Recruitment: RAW operatives are on the lookout for local recruits
to serve their ends. Acting on the Chanakyan principles, they tend to exploit
human weaknesses for wine, women and wealth, and, at times resort to blackmail.
Separatist tendencies and ethnic or sectarian sensitivities are also well-known
grounds for manipulation. Armed Forces personnel remain a primary target. Those
journalists, intellectuals and politicians harbouring and preaching goodwill
and better Indo-Pak relations also make suitable targets for inadvertent and
unconscious recruitment by RAW agents.
Major successes of RAW
Creation of Bangladesh: The Bangladesh operation, beginning with sowing seeds
of dissension, leading to the Agartala Conspiracy, creation of Mukti Bahini and
under its cover sneaking into East Pakistan for guerrilla operations to blow up
bridges and other installations damaged the morale of Pakistani troops and
India won the war even before the battle began, thanks to RAW as its agents had
infiltrated every nook and corner of erstwhile East Pakistan. The paragraph
entitled: 'RAW takes shape', in the initial part of this article, amply
demonstrates the causal chain of events.
Plan to assassinate General Zia-ur-Rahman: According to the September 18-24,
1988 issue of the weekly Magazine Sunday (Calcutta), RAW was on the verge of
assassinating Bangladesh's President General Zia-ur-Rahman (with Mrs Gandhi's
approval) when the Congress government fell. RAW briefed the new Prime Minister
Morarji Desai about it who was appalled at the idea and stopped the murder.
General Zia continued to rule Bangladesh for many more years. He was
assassinated after Indira Gandhi returned to power but RAW pleads innocence.
Poornima: Project Poornima was the name given India's Nuclear Programme. The
task to keep it 'under tight wraps of security' was given to RAW. This was the
first time that RAW was involved in a project inside India. The rest is history
as India managed to surprise the world on 18 May, 1974 by detonating a
15-Kiloton plutonium device at Pokharan.
Kahuta's Blueprint: According to the September 18-24, 1988 issue of the weekly
Indian Magazine Sunday, RAW agents claim that in early 1978, they were on the
verge of obtaining the plans and blueprint for Kahuta nuclear plant that was
built to counter the Pokharan atomic blast, but the then Indian Prime Minister
Morarji Desai not only refused to sanction the $ 10,000 demanded by the RAW
agent, but informed Pakistan of the offer. According to the report, Pakistanis
caught and eliminated the RAW mole.
It must be noted that the author of 'Ham Jang Nahin Hone Denge' held the
external affairs portfolio at that time.