Develop intel coordination strategy with friendly nations: Shah

New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asked central agencies to develop an intelligence coordination strategy, which “must include offensive measures” as well, with friendly nations to detect anti-India organisations and networks.

Delivering the 37th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture, Shah said merely sharing information is not enough. “We must also ensure that we receive vital intelligence from them.”

“He emphasised the need to develop an intelligence coordination strategy with friendly nations to detect anti-India organisations and networks, and this strategy must include offensive measures as well,” Shah said, according to a government statement.

Simply being alert to anti-national elements causing physical damage is no longer sufficient, he said, underlining the disruptive power of disinformation, misinformation, mal-information and fake news with the help of new technology.

“...we must increase our vigilance regarding the rapid changes happening in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and cyberspace,” he said.

The home minister said attacks on critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, information warfare, psychological warfare, chemical warfare, and the radicalisation of youths have emerged as new challenges.

He expressed confidence that, just as the country’s security agencies have faced all challenges until now, they will be able to confront these threats as well with the same readiness and vigilance. Using misinformation to provoke separatism and communal riots, drug trade via social media, cyber espionage, and cryptocurrency-related issues have now emerged as unique sets of challenges, he said.