Intelligence Meltdown: Deka's Unbearable Leadership Cost IB Its Turf?

A month after the 9/11 attacks, the FBI launched an operation codenamed Green Quest under which an inter-agency task force was established to combat terror financing. However, the operation was disbanded within two years due to poor coordination between the FBI and other agencies and due to the lack of investigative leads. Similarly, Corridors of power in New Delhi are buzzing with an unprecedented shift that has sent uneasiness coursing through them.

The Intelligence Bureau, after decades of dominating the post of Secretary Security, has lost it when R&AW Chief Parag Jain took interim charge. The Secretary of Security position has traditionally been IB's crown jewel. This isn't just about administrative control of the Special Protection Group (SPG) – it's about being at one of the nerve centre of national security coordination. When a R&AW chief was handed interim charge of this coveted position, it wasn't just a routine reshuffle. It was a seismic shift that left intelligence insiders asking uncomfortable questions.

Two Questions 

First, the obvious one: Given the escalating security challenges and IB's decades of experience, shouldn't this have naturally gone to DIB? After all, IB officers have been running this show for years – it's hardly rocket science.

Second, the uncomfortable truth: Is there a serious management crisis brewing within IB that has made the government lose faith in the agency's leadership?

The Intelligence Hotchpotch: When Coordination Becomes Chaos

Top sources paint a disturbing picture of an agency in disarray. "There is brewing intelligence hotch potch in IB and unorganised assessments affairs" reveals a top source in Intelligence establishment, speaking on condition of anonymity. The numbers tell a stark story: two significant intelligence failures within six months. These aren't minor glitches – they represent a fundamental breakdown in coordination,

The Andhra Exception

Interestingly, the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Andhra Pradesh continues to perform exceptionally well in counter insurgency operations against Naxalism, its role in the recent killing of most wanted Naxal commander Madvi Hidma is one glaring example . But here's the catch – their operational landscape is limited and manageable. Strip away that advantage, and the picture becomes bleaker.  "The rest core is running clueless," admits a frustrated intelligence official in condition of anonymity.

Unmanageable DIB

At the heart of this crisis sits Tapan Deka, the current Director of IB, whose leadership style has become a source of intense debate within intelligence circles. "What makes Tapan Deka unmanageable at the moment is perhaps his style of functioning as a spymaster – running the bureau from a down-top model," explains a senior intelligence official. Intelligence collection is happening but no effective Intelligence adjudication and dissemination especially from the top is happening, which means direct strategic guidance of assessments and reading from DIB,” a top source adds.

The War-Room Leadership

History shows us what effective intelligence leadership looks like during crises. Take Shyamlal Dutta and Asif Ibrahim – both legendary IB chiefs who understood that crisis management requires a completely different approach.

When threats escalate, a spymaster must:

1-Centralize control while maintaining decentralized operations

2-Get into war-room mode – no more boardroom management

3- Dig into street-level intelligence – get their hands dirty

4-Keep ears to the ground – maintain direct contact with field operations

5-Actively manage intelligence flow – ensure nothing falls through cracks

"Only oversight and surface-level directions won't work in this situation. Deka must push his boundaries to run the bureau," a top intelligence establishment source.

The Health Card: A Convenient Excuse?

Adding another layer to this complex situation is Deka's reported health issues. In internal meetings, he's allegedly mentioned these concerns, yet he continues in his role despite mounting evidence of operational failures. "Both things just can't happen; either you move out or do justice with tradecraft responsibilities," states a blunt MHA source. The message is clear: half-measures won't work when national security is on the line.

R&AW’s Upping The Game

R&AW has significantly enhanced its strategic and operational communications over the past few months, which has helped the agency gather intelligence before Pahalgam attack, a top source said. The agency holds considerable influence in the Af-Pak region and possesses an intelligence cache that could assist in creating an assessed (estimative intelligence) of the recent evolving situation and uncover foreign connections.   In such a scenario, R&AW has the upper hand in managing inter-agency coordination and oversight of national security affairs, including the PM’s security, top source said.

The Turf War Irony

Perhaps the most damaging revelation comes from a security establishment insider: "IB fights for NTRO helm but can't run their own bureau effectively." This statement cuts to the heart of what's wrong with current intelligence priorities. Instead of focusing on fixing internal operations and improving coordination with other agencies, IB has been engaged in bureaucratic battles for control over other organizations.

The Bureau’s loss of its first turf indicates that the Bureau must seriously and aggressively revamp itself to foster better synergy in intelligence coordination and management, rather than continue fighting turf wars with other agencies and police forces.