Intel agencies need better coordination: Ex-RAW chief

Criticising the lack of coordination among the central intelligence agencies, former chief of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) PK Hormis Tharakan on Saturday stressed on the need for better coordination among agencies to tackle terrorism in the country.

Tharakan was delivering a speech on ‘Intelligence agencies in the service of the nation’ as part of the monthly lecture series, ‘Towards light’, organised by Dnyaneshwar Mulay Education Society.

Tharakan, who retired five years ago as the R&AW chief, said, “There are various intelligence agencies that are working for national security. But the coordination among these agencies is a big problem nowadays. There has to be better coordination at the apex level to counter terrorism.”

Pointing out that the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai exposed loopholes in the functioning of the agencies, Tharakan said, “After the Kargil war, prominent intelligence establishments were set up to tackle cross-border terrorism. But after the Mumbai attacks, questions were raised over their functioning due to lack of coordination among them.”