"New intelligence agency set up"

by Sanjay Singh
The Pioneer (New Delhi)
April 7, 2003


[FBIS Transcribed Text]  New Delhi. A highly specialised technical 
intelligence gathering agency, National Technical Facilities Organisation 
[NTFO], has been created by the government. While the agency would not 
affect the working of technical wings of various intelligence agencies, 
including those of armed forces, it will act as a super-feeder agency for 
providing technical intelligence to other agencies on internal and 
external security. 

    The Group of Ministers [GOM] headed by Deputy Prime Minister L K 
Advani had recommended constitution of the NTFO as a state-of-the-art 
technical wing of intelligence gathering. Due to security concerns, the 
recommendation along with such other matters were not made public when 
the GOM report was published. 

    The organisation will do hi-tech surveillance jobs, including 
satellite monitoring, terrestrial monitoring, internet monitoring, 
considered vital for the national security apparatus. 

    With the appointment of R S Bedi the cell has started working. the 
NTFO would require over Rs 700 crore [7 billion rupees] to procure 
different hi-tech equipment from specialised agencies around the globe to 
become fully functional. 

    The officials have identified countries from where such gadgets could 
be procured but refused to reveal them due to "security and other 
implications." The proposal for budgetary and manpower support has been 
sent to top officials and is expected to be cleared soon. 

    The government had been working in this direction after the Kargil 
war in 1999 when the Subramanium committee report pointed out weaknesses 
in intelligence gathering in the national security set up. 

    Sources said the roadmap for constitution of the National Technical 
Facilities Organisation was prepared by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam in October 
2001 when he was the Principal Scientific Advisor. 

    It was subsequently mentioned in the Group of Ministers report on 
internal security. Sources said Deputy Prime Minister had been keen to 
ensure that recommendations made by the Group of Ministers be implemented 
as soon as possible. 

[Description of Source: New Delhi The Pioneer in English -- Independent 
daily with a reputation for strong coverage of domestic issues and 
thoughtful editorial positions; owned by the Thapar Group]