New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) In January 2025, the Indian Intelligence agencies launched a covert operation that lasted nearly three months, which eventually led to the busting of a major network of spies who were on the payroll of Pakistan. That led to the arrest of security personnel, influencers, and some common people as well.

Recently, the manager of a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) guest house in Jaisalmer was taken into custody for allegedly spying and sharing sensitive details with the ISI. The manager, Mahendra Prasad, is being questioned to ascertain the extent of information he shared with the ISI.

Given the fact that such arrests are carried out on a pretty regular basis suggests that the ISI has managed to install an army of its agents in India. The agencies say that this module, set up by the ISI, is not new. It has been in operation since 2016, and it operates from various parts of Pakistan.

The module that is overseen by the ISI had first begun scouting for those aspiring to join the Indian Army, and also young recruits. Following this, they zeroed in on photographers working in areas that house sensitive installations.

It began with the ISI first recruiting random persons in India. They were tasked with looking for potential spies. Some were roped in with the lure of money, and others were blackmailed after being honey-trapped. The recruitment process itself took close to a year. During this time, they interacted with potential spies while studying their behavioural patterns, their habits, and also their likes and dislikes.

What began with a network of nearly 100 people has today become an army of spies. The main modules that the ISI set up in India were in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Punjab.

In addition to the physical modules, the Indian agencies have found the online ones harder to crack. Fake profiles are being created in large numbers in a bid to trap people into leaking information. Today, there has been a change in operations, and the busting of the influencer spying network has been a big revelation.

The ISI decided to focus on influencers who could help shift and change the narrative. They are paid not to pass on information, but to sing praises about Pakistan.

At first, they were meant to speak well about Pakistan on smaller issues. The larger plan was to then begin changing the narrative against India and in favour of Pakistan.

The ISI sought to exploit its large base of followers to carry forward this narrative. For the Indian agencies, busting these networks is an ongoing process. The ISI keeps changing its modus operandi, and this takes time to crack.

There have been many instances when these agencies have raised false alarms to misguide the Indian agencies. While a majority of the spies are today recruited through social media or by laying honey traps, the ISI has still not given up on the conventional spies. It is now actively recruiting from the West Asian countries and Nepal.

These persons are identified, trained, and then asked to infiltrate India. The security officials have already flagged operations of the ISI in Nepal. The modus operandi is not just to infiltrate its terrorists and send in counterfeit Indian notes through the Nepal border.

This also includes recruiting from Nepal, training them, and then sending them into India to spy and pass on sensitive information.

Security officials say that this is a huge task to clean up this mess. It is an ongoing process, and the Indian agencies need to be one up on their game and constantly reinvent as the ISI keeps changing its modus operandi frequently.

–IANS

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