What is an intelligence agency?

An intelligence agency is a government-run agency that gives information, executes plans, warns, and guides the overall process by that respective sector. They collect information about the planning against the government and make pre-plans or deliver it to the government for them to be alert.

They are a great helping hand to governments of all the countries to maintain the peace and harmony of the nation by safeguarding the citizens of the country.

In India, many intelligence agencies have played a major role in our security, economic stability, crime rate check, and more.

This article has listed below 25 Indian intelligence agencies for you to know them in detail and their responsibilities in the country.

1. Research and Analysis Wing - RAW

26 Indian Intelligence Agencies Who Keep Us Updated And Secure — Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) | World's Best Intelligence Agencies

The research and analysis wing – RAW was founded in 1968. Its headquarters are located in the capital city of the country, New Delhi. The Minister heading the agency is The Prime Minister of India. The wing executive is Sanant Goel, Secretary.

RAW is an Indian Intelligence agency that focuses on all internal affairs of the country. It mainly deals with China and Pakistan issues that can cause trouble to the nation. Their participation can be noted in the following issues from the past-

Creation of Bangladesh, 1971
India’s growing influence in Afghanistan
The security of India’s nuclear program

2. Intelligence Bureau

It is a domestic Indian Intelligence agency. It provides internal security and is also a counter-intelligence agency. Arvind Kumar, Director is the executive of the agency. The headquarters are in New Delhi and was founded in the year 1887. The reporting agency or the parent agency is the Ministry of Home Affairs. It also acts as the security advisor to the state and federal governments.

3. Joint Cipher Bureau

Joint Cipher Bureau is the head agency of the Indian Armed Forces. It is responsible for signals, intelligence, and cryptanalysis. Also, it provides coordination and direction to other military agencies. They are in a close working relationship with the RAW and IB.

The agencies under Joint Cipher Bureau are :

Directorate of military intelligence.
Defense security cops.
Special frontier force.
Special security bureau.
Directorate of naval intelligence.

Directorate of air intelligence.

The headquarters of this Indian Intelligence agency is located in New Delhi.

4. All India Radio Monitoring service – AIRMS

AIRMS is an Indian monitoring service that monitors broadcasts in India as well from foreign broadcasts of interest to India.

They also have links with RAW which controls and organizes most of their activities. The headquarters of AIRMS is situated at Shimla.

5. Criminal investigation department - CID

It is an Indian Investigation bureau established by the British Government in 1902. Rai Bahadur Pandit Shambu Nath is known as the ‘Father of the Indian CID’.

The CID is divided into two types for easy handling of the nation’s needs.

CID and CB-CID

CB-CID branch of CID deals with human trafficking, missing person’s cell and anti-narcotics cell, fingerprint bureau, and anti-terrorism squad.

The headquarters for both are situated at Guwahati.

6. Narcotic Control Bureau

This Indian Intelligence agency works under federal law enforcement and is handled by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was founded in 1986. The agency executive is Rakesh Asthana, Director-General. The headquarters are in New Delhi.

They are actively involved in combating human trafficking and the use of illegal pieces of stuff under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances Act.

7. Economic Intelligence Council

This Government Intelligence agency in India responds and takes action on any illegal and economic offenses in India. It was established in the year 1990. This agency falls under the Union Ministry of Finance.

The members of the agency are all the higher authorities-

Finance member of India
Governor of RBI
Directors of CBI
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

The headquarters are located in New Delhi.

8. Regional Economic Intelligence Committee

Another Indian Intelligence agency that deals with the economic difficulties of the country and works under the Ministry of Finance. It was formed in the year 1990. The responsibility of the agency is to regulate the other government agencies regarding the economic offense caused in respective states.

The headquarters are located in New Delhi.

9. Central Economic Intelligence Bureau – CEIB

This Indian Intelligence agency works under the Department of Revenue and is handled by the Ministry of Finance. It was formed in the year 1985 to control illegal economic activities and they take part in implementing conservation of foreign exchange and preventing smuggling.

It acts as the chief coordinator of the other agencies under the Ministry of Finance. The headquarters are present in New Delhi.

10. Directorate General of GST Intelligence

The Indian Intelligence agency was formed in 1979.

The agency executive is Shri Om Prakash Dadhich. The parent agency is the central board of indirect taxes and customs CBIC. As the name suggests, they deal with all tax formalities in the country and fight tax evasion in India.

Initially, it was named as the Directorate general of Anti-Evasion. But, after the introduction of the Goods and Service Tax in India, it was changed to its present name.

11. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

The year this Indian Intelligence agency was established was 1957. The headquarters of the agency is present in New Delhi. The agency executive is Balesh Kumar, IRS. They function under the Central Board of indirect tax and customs.

Their specialty is to handle things related to anti-smuggling, intelligence, investigations, and operations agencies.

12. Serious Fraud Investigation Agency

A serious fraud investigation agency was formed in 2003. The headquarters are situated in New Delhi. The agency executive is Keshav Chandra. They have dominant hands in frauds occurring in the nation and implement rules and laws to avoid them.

13. Directorate of Enforcement

The parent agency of the Directorate of enforcement is the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance. It was formed in 1956 and the headquarters are located in New Delhi.

They have a hold on anti-corruption activities, act as a law enforcement agency fighting crimes, and implement economic law.

14. Directorate of Air Intelligence

This Intelligence agency in India is very much related to the Indian Air force. They are responsible for imagery information collection and collect and deliver things used in the air force contingent like MiG – 25R, Jaguar, reconnaissance aircraft. They also provide surveillance and timely intelligence to the force.

It was formed in the year 1941 with its headquarters in New Delhi.

15. Directorate of Naval Intelligence

As the name suggests, it deals with the Indian Navy and acts as an Intelligence arm. The headquarters are present in New Delhi.

16. Directorate of Military Intelligence

It was formed in 1941. They play a high and important role in the involvement of the Indian military with various issues. Their engagements in the past with the Indian military activities are listed below:

World war ll
Indo-Pakistan war of 1947- 48
Indo-Pakistan war of 1965
Indo-Pakistan war of 1962
Indo-Pakistan war of 1971

Afghan civil war 1996 - 2001
Kargil war

They give a timely, relevant, and accurate report about the operations and strategies used by the Indian army. They also detect, identify, and neutralize intelligence.

17. Defense Intelligence Agency

This agency was formed in the year 2002. It works under the Department of Military Affairs. It provides and assists the military and defense intelligence to armed forces.

The Minister who takes over the agency is the ‘Minister of Defence’. The Agency executive is Lt. Gen KJS Dhillon. The headquarters are present in New Delhi.

18. Signals Intelligence Directorate

SIGNIT – It is the Indian Intelligence agency derived from the signals and systems used by foreign sources or targets, like from common radars, communication systems, and weapons.

They participate actively to gather information about foreign powers, organizations, and persons for the nation’s safety.

19. Directorate of IT Investigation

It is a law enforcement agency under the Ministry of Finance. They investigate India’s tax laws, frauds, evasion, and money laundering issues. The parent agency to which they belong is the Investigation division of the Central board of direct taxes.

20. Directorate Income Tax

It was established in the year 1860 and the headquarters are located in New Delhi. They are under the order of the Finance Minister of India. The agency executive is Jagannath Bidyadhar Mahapatra.

They take up the responsibility of collecting all government taxes. It functions under the orders of the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.

21. Investigation Division of the Central Board of Direct Taxes

Their headquarters are present in New Delhi. The agency executive of this agency is Mr. Sushil Chandra. It works under the Ministry of Finance.

Their responsibilities are:

Interrogating smugglers
Taking up complaints about evasion of taxes
Actions implementation like demonetization.
Controls all the IT agencies

22. State Intelligence Department (Maharashtra)

They work to gather information on counter-terrorism. They are one of the oldest existing Intelligence agencies in India. The agency executive is Ashutosh K Dumbre.

Its headquarters are present in Mumbai. It is headed by the Commissioner of Intelligence. It was formed in the year 1905 and was known as CID int. Later, in 1981, it got its present name.

23. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

It was formed in the year 2006. The headquarters are situated in New Delhi. The agency executive is Tilotama Varma. They work under the Ministry of Environment.

They work hard to combat wildlife crimes and preserve the wildlife with forest management.

24. National Investigation Agency - NIA

They are the group against counter-terrorist forces. It was formed in the year 2009 after the deadly terrorist attack on November 26th, in Mumbai.

The headquarters are present in New Delhi and the agency executive is Kuldeep Singh.

25. Vigilance and Forest Intelligence

It is the vigilance started in the year 1971 and it belongs to the Kerala Forest sector. The headquarters are present at Thiruvananthapuram. The agency executive is Shri V.V. Shajimon IFS.

They deal with various activities in the forest sector. Overseeing all the forest activities, evaluation process, public petitions are accepted, corruption activities, misuse of government properties, any illegal conduct and allegations are checked.

26. National Crime Records Bureau - NCRB

It is a Government Indian Intelligence agency and a part of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was formed in 1986 with headquarters in New Delhi. Ramphal Pawar is the director of the NCRB.

As defined by the Indian Penal Code, this bureau is responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data.

With that, we conclude this list of Indian Intelligence Agencies.

Before that, I would like to appreciate all the effort put by all these agencies and the government in regulating the rules wisely and ensuring the people’s safety with their hard work.

Also, I’m not sure if some of you could have gained an interest to join these agencies as intelligent agents. If yes, then there are several examinations that you can take up after your undergraduate studies like SSC CGL, UPSC CSE, ACIO, etc. They can fetch you a certain position in the agency if performed well.

I hope I have delivered the content worth your read and time. Then I’ll leave it here, Good Luck!

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26 Indian Intelligence Agencies Who Keep Us Updated And Secure