Boosting Teamwork in Government Intelligence
NSAB Chairman Alok Joshi Calls for Better Collaboration
Alok Joshi, the head of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), recently spoke about the need for better intelligence sharing among government agencies. He shared his thoughts at the ‘Police Technology Summit 2025’ in Gandhinagar. Joshi, who once led the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), believes that better collaboration leads to better results.
The Problem with Silos
Joshi pointed out that agencies often work in silos, which can be a big problem. He agreed that technology can greatly improve law enforcement. But he also said that success depends on a few key things:
- Gathering and studying data
- Sharing information quickly within and between agencies
- Improving systems using feedback
- Putting people at the center of efforts
“India is facing a challenge. We need to break down these silos without ignoring the ‘need to know’ principle. This principle is central to our system and it’s here to stay,” Joshi explained.
A Lesson from Experience
Joshi shared a story from his time leading RAW. An operation in a foreign country was successful. But NTRO refused to share important intelligence with RAW, saying it was for security reasons.
“Three months later, I was leading NTRO. The first thing I did was ask for that file. If I had seen that message, things might have been different. After all, we were both security organizations,” Joshi remembered.
The Power of Feedback
Joshi also talked about the importance of using and analyzing intelligence. He reminded officials that someone uses the information they receive. “What do you expect that person to do with that information? This is something we need to think about when we collect and share information,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of feedback. “It’s tough, but as a provider, it’s your job to get it. Make sure you have a relationship with the organization where there’s trust and confidence to give you that feedback,” he added.
Supporting Local Tech
Joshi also discussed the need for the government to help pay for the development of local technologies. “If you want to support local efforts, you have to pay for it. The government needs to share the development cost,” he said.
He mentioned that NSAB has started looking at the procurement process, especially for policing and security agencies. “We can’t have a ‘no cost, no commitment’ rule. Working in this kind of environment won’t encourage the industry,” Joshi stressed.
