Indian spies were expelled from Australia by Scott Morrison’s former government, accused of trying to obtain classified information about our business partnerships and sensitive national security information, officials have revealed.
Intelligence officials from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) managed to disrupt the spy network in 2020.
The agency was alerted to a series of activities allegedly carried out by agents who were closely monitoring Indians living in Australia.
India’s so-called “spy nest” also formed close relationships with several current and former Australian politicians, the ABC reported.
ASIO officials managed to detect and disrupt a “spy nest” of India’s foreign intelligence agency, which was attempting to access classified information (pictured, ASIO Director General Mike Burgess).
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess first alluded to the spy network in his annual threat assessment conducted at the agency’s headquarters in Canberra in 2021, but did not name the country.
“The spies developed specific relationships with current and former politicians, a foreign embassy and a state police service,” he said at the time.
‘They monitored their country’s diaspora community. They attempted to obtain classified information about Australia’s trade relations.
‘They asked a public servant to provide them with information about security protocols at a major airport.’
Australian national security officials and senior government figures have told the ABC that India’s foreign intelligence service, known as the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was responsible for the undercover agents.
RAW is India’s external intelligence agency established in 1968 by the Indian Intelligence Bureau.
“Several” Indian officials were expelled from Australia by the then Morrison government after their covert activities were detected.
Burgess also detailed at the time how the “nest of spies” recruited an individual from the Australian government, who had security clearance, to provide them with confidential information about Australia’s defense technology.
Officials in former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government (pictured with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) asked the spies to leave Australia.
Spies attempted to gain access to security protocols at a major Australian airport using a public server (file image pictured)
Last year he declined to provide details about any concerns ASIO officials in Australia have about overseas operations conducted by the Indian government.
“I do not comment on any actions of any government… I can assure you, however, that if we see acts of foreign interference or conspiracy, we will deal with it,” he told the ABC.
Asked if he was directly involved in the expulsion of any Indian intelligence agents from Australia, Burgess declined to disclose operational matters.
WhatsNew2Day Australia has contacted ASIO, the High Commission of India and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet for comment.
India’s intelligence activities have come under scrutiny after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the murder of a Sikh activist in British Columbia in June last year.
The Indian government denied that officials were involved in the incident.
Agents also recruited an Australian government individual who had security clearance to obtain details about Australia’s defense technology (file image).
