The most common word you’ll hear next to ‘Intelligence’ is - Failure ! It gives all involved and also scholars and domain specialists special joy and alibi to pin down everything on Intelligence community because being a silent partner, there will never be a comeback from them.

And it is not because they cannot reply, it’s because they will not. To give any kind of justification means presenting information that’s meant to be shared only with the highest echelons. Also, there are more intelligence setups in India than one can imagine. And they all ..

Work very diligently, risking their lives and well being, in many cases reputation and family life, to get the job done. It takes a lot of effort from enemy to bypass these efforts of fine men and women who keep anti India forces on their toes. But yes, at times there ..

..will be gaps and enemy will make most of it. It is impossible to know everything. You cannot have sources everywhere. Like us, even enemy has patriots. Not everyone would share information. People auch spy movies and think it’s that easy. It takes years and years to develop..

..an effective information channel. And then , he may not know anything about whatever might be going on in another sector of his government. Not everyone knew in Osama’s network that he’s going to hit WTC. That doesn’t mean CIA didn’t have sources or inroads. Their sources..

..just didn’t know enough. And then it becomes an intelligence failure. Every day, almost, we hear, police or army or some other agency busted a plan to attack so and so place and arrested these many. We don’t even give it a second thought or read. Had Int agencies NOT stopped ..

..that attack, it would’ve become a big deal, a major mishap maybe. Intelligence agencies work very hard, mostly in grey zones where there is no precedence to ‘how to do it’. Innovation while facing danger right in face is hallmark of Int operatives. They not only risk losing ..

..information but years of hard work by one wrong move. It’s a very difficult domain and very predictive in nature which has a fair chance of failure. It’s not James Bond glamour but months and months of pouring over documents and looking for bits of information that can make ..

..some sense, prove a theory, provide an input, save some countrymen. Intelligence agencies generate thousands and thousands of inputs every day. It’s the decision is government to act on them. And government and its executives choose what to prioritise and what now. Every ..

..time someone said “ intelligence failure “..look back, there must’ve been some report for sure which was ignored or not considered important by decision makers at that time.
But not agencies have to bear the brunt and as I said in the beginning, they don’t have a PR section..

..that can come and justify on their behalf that No, we did provide inputs but no one acted on it. Coz again, ain’t agencies don’t generate int and act on it too, unlike Bond movies.
Let us all be little tolerant with our brave and diligent Int operators who have always done ..

..to keep their country safe. Having worked in the community for a decade, I feel it’s unjustified t0 throw our ignorance or inability on those who cannot reply. Just know that even if you don’t know it and government didn’t act on it, they did their job honestly. Jai Hind!