Former CIA officer speaks out in praise of India's RAW and IB as the finest intelligence agencies in the world
Former CIA official Andrew Bustamante has become an overnight social media sensation for his unsolicited praise of India's intelligence agencies and foreign policy. He applauds the Research and Analysis Wing, RAW, and the Intelligence Bureau, IB, while also expressing appreciation for this country's ability to learn to take difficult international relationships in stride and spur high levels of economic growth at the same time.
Praise for India's Intelligence Agencies
RAW and IB are two of the best intelligence agencies in the world, says Bustamante, an ex-CIA officer with an intimate knowledge of covert operations and intelligence. In this regard, he praises RAW, India's foreign intelligence agency, for the accurate collection of information regarding external areas as well as clever strategic operations. IB, India's internal intelligence wing, he said should be admired for its potential in internal security as well as surveillance and counter intelligence activities.
In the video, Bustamante thanked India for its "pragmatic" intelligence framework, which he said was important to keep stability and growth in an increasingly polarized world. He emphasized that India's intelligence services are unique in terms of strategic depth and efficiency, as the country is a rising global power.
India's Foreign Policy Approach: A Balancing Act
Bustamante also gave kudos to India's foreign policy, who found it remarkable how the relationship with major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia finds stability. He cited that India's foreign policy is unique as it finds "partnership" with different world powers to achieve national interest. Furthermore, he cited that it was maintaining its relation with those foreign powers while its GDP, consumption, and population are getting "steadily" bigger and therefore very well-poised for being a future superpower nation.
India has found a way to be an ally of America, China's ally, and Russia's ally," Bustamante claims in the video, referring to how such a multi-alignment strategy furthers India's influence in geopolitics.
Public Reaction to Minister Kiren Rijiju's Response
The video spread like wildfire on the social media outlet after India's Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, posted a tweet on X, with the then appellation Twitter, where he captioned, "He has made an interesting point about India. He seems an intelligent guy." This gave reach with respect to the video and sparked wider discussions on India's world standing and its success in intelligence gathering.
Comments began pouring in, with users showering praise on the intelligence agencies of India and Indians' clever foreign policy. A comment read, "Indian intelligence wings no doubt are one of the best in this world. People who mock/criticize them don't even know a bit about their success rates as they don't show it off." Another user pointed to the growing influence of India saying, "The world knows the potential and influence of Bharat more than our countrymen."
Who is Andrew Bustamante?
Andrew Bustamante is a former CIA intelligence officer who has in-depth knowledge of intelligence operations and geopolitical strategy. After his CIA career, he went into entrepreneurship; he founded Everyday Espionage-a company specializing in personal security training, counter-surveillance, and strategic consulting. He also spends his time on social media through YouTube and his podcast, where he brings his listeners great insights on intelligent issues, security, and lifestyle strategies, and gaining a large following.
Bustamante's views serve as an independent validation of India's smart capabilities and strengths in foreign policy; they mark the rising internationalism of the country. Indeed, his praise of the strategic acumen and intelligence success of India reflects the country's increase in ranks on the globe.
