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Subject: Internal Security

  • [pib] Operation Sankalp

    Indian Navy has commenced Maritime Security Operations, code named Op SANKALP, in the Gulf region to ensure safe passage of Indian Flag Vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

    Op Sankalp

    • Indian Navy warships and aircraft were deployed to establish presence, provide a sense of reassurance to the Indian merchantmen, monitor the ongoing situation and respond to any emergent crises.
    • The operation is being progressed in close coordination with all stakeholders including Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and DG, Shipping.
    • The Navy continues to monitor the situation in the Gulf region and is maintaining presence in the region to ensure security of our sea borne trade and the safety of Indian Flag Merchant Vessels transiting through the region.

  • [op-ed of the day] There is a design flaw with this military post

    Context

    Recently Chief of Defence Staff post was created by the Government. The utility of this post and the problem it could create are debated.

    History leading to the post

    • First World War brought to the fore the command and control dilemmas of concurrent conflicts.
    • During the colonial years of Great Britain, an issue that received consideration was the British higher command and control structures.
    • With the declaration of the Second World War, the responsibility of higher command fell on War Cabinet serviced by the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
    • Winston Churchill as prime minister given the supreme power but remained responsible to the parliament.
    • After the U.S. entered the war, a unified command required a single commander.
    • After the war ended and the Cold War started, Eisenhower became the supreme commander of NATO.
    • While political powers were vested in the NATO council.
    • Despite the experience of the World Wars the U.S. has not created CDS.
    • In the U.S., the military chain of command runs directly from theatre commanders to civilian secretaries to the President.
    • Britain, however, created the post of the Chief of Defence Staff.

    The outline for India

    • The three-tier defense management structure was adopted by Jawaharlal Nehru.
    • Cabinet Committee on security has served India for well over the years.

    Role of CDS

    • Department of Military Affairs, headed by CDS will deal with the Army, Navy and Air force and The Territorial Army.
    • Works related to procurement related exclusively to the services except for capital acquisition.
    • He will also act as a Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister.
    • CDS will not exercise any military command, including the three Service Chiefs, so as to be able to provide impartial advice to the political leadership.

    A subordination

    • There would be an implied subordination of the three service chiefs to the CDS notwithstanding any declaration to the contrary.
    • CDS is tasked with facilitating the restructuring of military commands.
    • Bringing about jointness in operations including through the establishment of joint/ theatre command.
    • This could encroach upon the domain of the service chiefs.
    • The CDS would outrank the three service chiefs even though all are four-star.
    • CDS could override the Service Chiefs on critical tactical and perhaps even strategic issues.

    Conclusion

    • The Department of Military Affairs would exercise control over the three services and also most problematic is the erosion of the civilian supremacy which could result with the creation of the post.

  • Police Reforms – SC directives, NPC, other committees reports

  • Internal Security Trends and Incidents

  • Internal Security Architecture Shortcomings – Key Forces, NIA, IB, CCTNS, etc.

  • Cyber Security – CERTs, Policy, etc

  • Defence Sector – DPP, Missions, Schemes, Security Forces, etc.

  • Internal Security| National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)

    It’s time to learn some basics from GS-IV paper as its Internal security part is significant to score. We will cover series of articles on Internal security with some contemporary topics.

    What’s the NATGRID?

    The National Intelligence Grid or NATGRID is the integrated intelligence grid connecting databases of core security agencies of the Government of India to collect comprehensive patterns of intelligence that can be readily accessed by intelligence agencies.

    Why do we need NATGRID ?

    • 26/11 attacks on Mumbai led to the exposure of several weaknesses in India’s intelligence gathering and action networks.
    • “NATGRID” data transfer system unveiled by Home Minister P. Chidambaram in December 2009 and operational now.

    How does it work?

    NATGRID will integrate 21 categories of data from agencies like

    • Banks,
    • Railways and airlines,
    • Income tax department,
    • Credit card companies etc.
    • Visa and immigration
    • This combined data will be made available to 11 central agencies including the R&AW, the National Investigation Agency(NIA), the CBI, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Intelligence Bureau(IB), the Narcotics Control Bureau(NCB) and the Enforcement Directorate(ED) to help them prevent terrorist attacks and criminal activities.

    Is there any Privacy and misuse issue?

    • Some people are concerned about the protection of individual privacy and misuse of information by law enforcement agencies.
    • NATGRID is only the technical interface for intelligence agencies and not an organization in itself. If the agency initiating the inquiry is not authorized to get that information, it cannot get it.
    • It has strong information protection technology and external audits Security and intelligence agencies will not be able to use the
    • NATGRID system to access information for any purpose other than that of countering terror.
    • It will not “store” any personal data, but only facilitate transfer.

    Will it be a concerning thing as Wikileaks does?

    • SIPRNET is a computer network connecting US Defense and State Departments (similar to our NATGRID).
    • One Soldier Bradly Mannins, accessed the SIPRNET, copied all the US diplomatic documents and sent them to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
    • Similar fiasco could happen with India’s NATGRID.
    Published with inputs from Arun

  • Internal Security | National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC)

    Let’s move to a next topic of Internal security –National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC).

    Why there was a need of NCTC ?

    • After the 26/11 attacks, Government felt the need to setup a separate body to deal with terrorism.
    • NCTC will derive its powers from the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act(UAPA), 1967.
    • The basic idea is to prevent confusion regarding intelligence inputs and also ensure that none of the police forces from the states enter into a blame game regarding intelligence sharing as one got to see during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
    • The standing council of the NCTC will consist of anti-terror agencies in states.
    • The body will have 3 divisions dealing with collection and dissemination of intelligence, analysis and operations.

    How did the proposal to set up the NCTC originate?

    • The NCTC has been designed on the lines of the American NCTC and UK’s “Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre”.
    • Home Minister P. Chidambaram and former National Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan visited USA in 2009 to study the working of the American NCTC.

    What will NCTC do?

    • It will have the power to conduct searches and arrests in any part of India.
    • It will collect, collate and disseminate data on terrorism.
    • It will also maintain a database on terrorist and their associates including their families.
    • In short, NCTC will serve as a single and effective point of control and coordination of all counter terrorism measures.

    But, What is the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC)?

    It is platform to share varied intelligence inputs coming from various agencies like –

    • Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
    • Economic Intelligence Agency (EIA)
    • Enforcement Directorate (ED)

    How is it different from US and UK model?

    • USA’s NCTC which deals only with strategic planning and integration of intelligence without any operational involvement.
    • UK‘s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which too plays a purely coordinating role.
    • But the Indian NCTC will have not only intelligence functions but also powers to conduct operations, raids and arrests in any part of India.

    What is the problem with NCTC?

    NCTC was to start working from March 2012, but it could not be launched due to opposition from a group of Non-Congress chief ministers who say that NCTC is against the federal structure of the country.

    Power to Arrest without informing State Government

    • Non-Congress CM’s allege that the NCTC has been empowered to search and arrest people without informing the state government, police or anti-terror squad in the loop.
    • The role of the state becomes redundant with such powers and states would have no say or role to play in the fight against terrorism.
    • This would have a bearing on the rights and privileges of the states as enshrined in the Constitution.
    • To curb this fear, Home Ministry had altered the rules.
    • Now, the senior most police officers in all states – the Director Generals of Police and the chiefs of anti-terror squads of all states will be members of the Standing Council of the NCTC.

    Overlapping with NIA

    • National Investigation Agency (NIA) was established after the 26/11 attacks.
    • So, the establishment of a new NCTC would only add to the bureaucratic tangle in intelligence sharing and counter terrorist action.
    • However, Mr. Chidambaram had assured that NIA is merely a predecessor of NCTC. (so, once NCTC comes into operation, the NIA will function under it or will be submerged into NCTC)

    What is the Centre’s stance on this?

    • The UPA, however, has defended the setting up NCTC arguing that it will not trample on the rights of the states.
    • Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that terror is a real threat and “it is necessary to bring together all elements of national power in real in order to surmount a formidable challenge to it.”
    Published with inputs from Arun

  • Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act