A report published in the Washington Post has revealed the identity of the nation, the 2 spies expelled from Australia in 2020 were Indian spies – from the busted spy-nest.
It has been claimed in the media that the 2 operatives (Indian spies) were ‘undeclared’ agents in Australia, involved in ‘defence tech theft’. Thus, they were told to go and they left quietly and without any incident.
The ASIO director general, Mike Burgess, in his 2021 security assessment, “nest of spies” speech had referred to as from a “foreign intelligence service”. He did not name their country of origin, saying that information “would be an unnecessary distraction” because Australia was facing espionage and foreign interference attempts “from multiple countries”.
The relevant excerpt from the Washington Post:
In Australia, two RAW officers were expelled in 2020 after authorities broke up what Mike Burgess, head of the Australian intelligence service, described as a “nest of spies.”
Foreign officers were caught monitoring “their country’s diaspora community,” trying to penetrate local police departments and stealing information about sensitive security systems at Australian airports, Burgess said in a 2021 speech. He didn’t name the service, but Australian officials confirmed to The Post that it was RAW.
The claim that the two Indian spies were trying to penetrate local police, to steal sensitive security information seems to be an “exaggeration” according a former insider who spoke to BT on the condition of anonymity.
He refuses to rule it out though and cites the 1980s famous Larkins brothers spy scandal and the shelter allegedly offered by Australia to the absconding spy who had jumped bail on charges of selling India’s defence secrets to the CIA.
He is more inclined to accept the aggression of Modi regime in watching the Khalistanis abroad.
He again rejects the “killing” orders emanating from the government’s secret services and violently opposes the Washington Post’s claim of Modi’s inner circle involvement.
“As far as I can read, there is a keen interest for Modi regime in what Khalistani’s sitting abroad are doing. That, in case of friendly states/partners like Australia, is to inform those governments of the potential threat posed to their own population which includes the Indian diaspora as well”, he tells me.
“Remember the Modi government briefing the Albanese government on this threat, reported by the Australian media in late 2022?”
I tend to accept that particularly in light of the Washington Post article also saying as below:
RAW’s operations in Western countries during Modi’s tenure have been overwhelmingly aimed at followers of the Sikh religion, especially a minority faction seeking to revive the largely dormant cause of creating a separate state called “Khalistan.”
It is not an easy task to decode security espionage. It may very well be the “undeclared” agents, as Mike Burgess put, were following some lead in their brief and stepped “over the line” in identifying the actual threat to Indian interests being planned on Australian soil.
The Modi government has made an assessment of the militancy within the Khalistan supporters in Australia and it has been made public by the media that it has briefed the Albanese government of the potential problems it may pose.
At the same time, the Indian diaspora in Australia (and around the world) including Sikhs, should not have to feel that they are being watched every step. It will be ridiculous way of going about our lives here.
Expelling any agent which poses a threat to Australia should always be Australia’s top priority.
The very fact that Mike Burgess chose to not name India at the time tells the story of the espionage being the usual kind all countries engage in including Australia.
Remember the chemistry between Scott Morrison and Modi? – COVID time virctual meetings and the talk of “khichdi, Pakodas culminating in the Socomo expression – “Kitna Achha Hai Modi?
And Prime Minister Albanese calling him “the Boss” and welcome him like no other leader in May 2023?
Ever since Air India Flight 182 from Montreal to India blew up over the Atlantic Ocean on 23 June 1985, as a result of an explosion from a bomb planted by Canadian Sikh terrorists killing all 329 people on board, the Indian government has had a program of watching the diaspora in the West, particularly in the US and Canada. It has received varying degree of attention from different regimes.
It is no secret the attention given to this program by the Modi regime is perhaps too much for the West’s liking.
“It is a pre-emptive self-defence and not defensive offence that India is pursuing”, my friend tells me. “As a close friend and ally of Australia and an important QUAD partner, will NOT do anything repugnant to Australia-India relations.”
Some devotees of Modi would see the Washington Post story – exposing Indian spies operating in the West as a well-designed conspiracy against the Modi government’s electoral bid for a third term in office.
I do not see it that way. If anything, the language, tone and tenor of the story, will more help than harm Modi’s chances. In the country where there are more than – 880 Satellite channels,
380 News Channels,
17, 160 Daily Newspapers,
550 radio Stations,
118, 239 registered publications,
38, 933 Weekly newspapers and
36, 564 monthly newsmagazines,
what damage will a single post from the US media portal do?
The Modi government has managed to cultivate a system which offers complete immunity from such ‘enemy’ stories beyond a single 24hour news cycle.
And the Washington Post which is seen as “anti-India”, carries very little credibility, particularly since Modi was refused visa by the US.