Indian intelligence agencies have warned that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has stepped up efforts to gather information on India’s defence preparedness and recent military procurements.
Officials said earlier attempts largely relied on luring lower-level staff in the defence establishment with money to extract information. Such cases have periodically surfaced in the form of arrests of employees, including clerical staff, for allegedly spying for Pakistan.
The agencies now claim the ISI has altered its approach and is attempting to target higher-ranking officials, believing they have access to more sensitive details related to national security.
As part of this effort, the ISI is said to have set up networks in northern states including Uttar Pradesh, and recruited women as agents in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat by offering financial incentives.
Intelligence officials said Pakistan has reportedly allocated large sums to the ISI to build these networks and obtain confidential information, including future military plans and the functioning of newly procured unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). They added that the plot has been detected and that multiple agents and networks have been arrested, asserting the conspiracy will be foiled.
