Thanks to Laptop Thefts, India’s Nuclear Info Could be in Wrong Hands
In 2006, Ravind Sistala was one among a clutch of scientists on deputation from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) in New Delhi. Set up in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil War, NTRO was meant to be a single technical intelligence facility to keep watch on India’s hostile neighbours. It was also supposed to issue warning signals to those manning India’s missile systems and nuclear warheads in real time so that they could retaliate in case of a possible enemy strike. Sistala’s was a crucial job. The fortysomething was the centre director of NTRO’s missile monitoring division, a position that called for high levels of responsibility and secrecy. But very few within India’s security apparatus are aware, even today, that Sistala was involved in one of the biggest security breaches in India’s post-Independence history. He compromised a Rs 1,850-crore intelligence-gathering programme that had key linkages to India’s growing nuclear arsenal and missile systems. Unencrypted ‘Top Secret’ data pertaining to these was stored on Sistala’s Hewlett-Packard laptop (given to him by NTRO) which disappeared mysteriously while he was on his way to the Delhi airport in early 2006. Did the information-packed computer fall into the wrong hands? Was it stolen by an enemy agent? Even today, no one knows where the laptop is. If still in enemy hands, it has the potential to inflict immense damage.
Ideally, such a security leak should have set alarm bells ringing and occasioned a swift and thorough investigation by the IB, RAW and Delhi Police. But rather than give the incident the attention and inquiry it deserved, a small but extremely powerful group of people—comprising a PMO official, DRDO scientists on deputation to NTRO and intelligence officials—helped Sistala escape any indictment by holding just an inhouse inquiry, which unearthed little. The missing laptop forgotten, Sistala continued as the head of the sensitive missile programme for another two years, and then returned to the DRDO.
Two years after the Sistala episode, another security breach took place in the NTRO. Arun Dixit, the centre director of the organisation’s atomic explosion division (AED), lost his laptop somewhere in Washington DC during an official trip to the US with the NTRO chairman. The laptop was crammed with top secret data on India’s intelligence on the nuclear weapons programmes of several countries, including Pakistan, China and North Korea. But like in Sistala’s case, the powerful lobby of defence scientists once again scuttled a thorough investigation. The leak was buried and kept out of the files. Dixit too escaped any scrutiny and still serves in the NTRO in the very same post.
The NTRO was set up in the summer of ’03. A year earlier, a Group of Ministers had handpicked RAW special secretary R.S. Bedi to set up the new intelligence outfit. Bedi started the process by setting up an office in room no. 326, Sardar Patel Bhavan, in the heart of Delhi, on March 29, 2003. The organisation was formally notified in July.
Set up to plug gaps in India’s security establishment post the Kargil debacle, the NTRO’s charter eventually went much beyond the mere act of gathering intelligence. It became a key element within the security apparatus, hitting headlines recently when Outlook reported its ability to pluck GSM phone calls off the air. Bedi had served in RAW’s Aviation Research Centre, which monitored the missile and atomic programmes of neighbours. NTRO took on this responsibility after it came into being.
NTRO’s task thus was to monitor and gather intelligence on all missile programmes in the region and convey the data in real time to the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), a special military organisation that mans India’s nuclear arsenal and would deploy it in the event of a nuclear war. The SFC would also, based on NTRO data, periodically review and upgrade its positioning of nuclear missiles, and coordinate with the defence forces in launching a counter-strike against any nuclear threat.
This called for a credible linkage between a vast and intricate network of ground-based radars, satellites, secret command codes and SFC’s nuclear arsenal. NTRO’s missile monitoring division established these linkages and set up an early warning network for the SFC. Sistala had a key role in creating these linkages and as such had access to the most sensitive data on India’s capabilities, response time and secret codes. Naturally enough, all these details were part of the presentations, notes, documents, files and folders—all marked ‘Top Secret’—he had on the laptop he was given by the NTRO. Standard rules mandate that a laptop given by the organisation cannot be taken home or used to connect to the Internet. But these being early days for NTRO, Sistala was travelling around the country making presentations to security officials, beginning with then NSA M.K. Narayanan to the three service chiefs, the SFC commander, the intelligence chiefs and other top DRDO scientists who were to work on the technological aspects of the project.
This is the time his laptop went missing. Shockingly, NTRO buried the episode in no time. A preliminary inquiry was ordered to be carried out by Brigadier Anil Malhotra, its counter-intelligence official, but it was quickly wound up. By this time, Bedi had retired from NTRO. A powerful lobby of defence scientists, led by R. Chidambaram, the principal scientific advisor to the government, had already determined his successor: DRDO scientist K.V.S.S. Prasad Rao. Rao had no previous experience in intelligence but he had served as the staff officer to Chidambaram for several years. Sistala, also from the DRDO, got a much-needed reprieve from the ongoing inquiry. He continued with the missile monitoring division for two more years before returning to the DRDO to work on air defence radars.
Outlook’s attempts to elicit an official comment from NTRO via a detailed questionnaire sent a week before going to print met with silence. Phone calls and text messages to NTRO chairman Prasad Rao, its advisor P.V. Kumar, Sistala and Dixit evoked no response either. DRDO, in a cryptic response to an Outlook query, said it wasn’t aware of any lapses by Sistala at NTRO.
Such security breaches are nothing new for the clique that still lords it over DRDO and NTRO. In Oct ’03, 53 computers were stolen one night from two DRDO labs—the Systems Analysis Group and the Institute for Systems Analysis and Studies—in Metcalfe House in Delhi. The computer carcasses were found later, but the hard disks had been removed. They contained secret encryption codes and communications of the army, navy, air force and all central police organisations. Till date, no DRDO scientist has been blamed. Many have even been promoted. A police investigation made no headway, while an internal inquiry remains alive on paper even though many of its members have retired.
It’s also ironical that while many other officials have been prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) on flimsy and concocted cases (see following story), Sistala and Dixit have escaped, despite being in clear violation of the OSA. In fact, since the leaks were related to India’s nuclear defence as well as secret codes, they could easily have attracted a penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment. Instead, the duo has continued in their careers. Should India’s intelligence agencies really be allowed to operate without even a modicum of accountability?
The dangerous Indian nuclear program with most of its facilities located right in the middle of insurgency hit ‘red-belt’ has been a target of criticism from its neighbouring countries. After a recent increase of concern by independent western analysts, the storm is coming to mainland India. It is the Indian think tanks who have started to finally give way to reason and think for a while to their public’s safety instead of howling war and weapons all the time.
Pre. S: “The link to original article needs a do up”.
Thanks for pointing out brother – BZ
Should Indian kids play with matches, that’s the next topic.
So how come the U.S. can go around & start wars with other Muslim Countries & have enough nukes to wipe out the world yet Iran & Pakistan cannot explore Nuclear technology?
I am fed up with Indian/American Cum Israeli Propaganda against Only Muslims really so sick & tired of all the with their Electronic & Print Media Statements. Let’s face it. India is a piece of shit country because it’s a Theocratic Statesmanship.
As far Pakistan Nuclear Program-me this is our right may say so Comprehensive Insurance Policy with Nominal Paid Premium. So that India have it, then we will have it 100% — India have it already but its better to made them self secure the same as Pakistan secured.
Raih Gaee Aab Sirf Kufr Aur ————— ISLAM Kee Jung-
Kaun Bay Dhanga Aur Kis Ko Mur-Nay -Ya- Mar-Nay Ka Dhang-
Lur-Rahee Pak Fauj — HUM Watonoun Say America Kee Yeh Jung-
So Rahee Ruling English Speaking Elite – Jaisee Pee Hoee Hay Bhang-
Jo Jhoot Pur Ho Buniyad —— Wooh Kiya Bharay Ga Zindagi Mein Rung-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0ApuUdU_8c&feature=player_embedded
lol………..Bhindians!!! what else can u expect from them!!!
pakistan can never have such problems
why?
because its the chinese who have the Laptops HAHA
(Pakistan bought nukes from them in 1998) 
We bought nukes?
and we dont have laptops!!!
You have an IQ of a nut…
If i have the IQ of a nut, what will u guys have? lol
i cant even imagine
LOL
DRDO…the best working partner the ISI could ask for.
A
Lol
EARLIER TODAY I TRIED TO OPEN UP THIS NEWS ITEM AT AN INTERNET CAFE BUT IT DID NOT OPEN THERE DESPITE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BUT RIGHT NOW I AM AT SOME OTHER INTERNET CAFE WHICH BELONGS TO AN INDIAN AGENT THEREFORE THIS NEWS ITEM OPENED UP IN MY FIRST ATTEMPT.
IN THIS CONNECTION I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS NEWS ITEM HAS JUST EXPOSED JUST A TIP OF THE ICE BURG WHILE AS I KNOW A WHOLE STORY OF THE INDIAN SECRET NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION PROGRAMME MEANT FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN ALONG WITH ACCESSORIES INCLUDING THE PROLIFERATION OF THE WEAPONS GRADE NUCLEAR MATERIAL .YET INDIA SHALL FAIL IN ITS EVIL DESIGNS AGAINST THE HUMANITY AND THOSE AGAINST PAKISTAN ,CHINA,AND RUSSIA AND EVENTUALLY INDIA SHALL DISINTEGRATE WHILE IT ATTEMPTS TO HARM THE WORLD STEALTHLY.
INDIA HAS CHEATED THE WORLD COMMUNITY IN GENERAL AND USA IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE TRANSPARANCY OF ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
Man…that’s awesome…an Indian agent operating an internet cafe in Pakistan that this phuddu knows about and ISI doesn’t, or ISI knows about it and still lets it run…. aweeeeeesomeeeeee…..
This guy sounds like a schizopherniac in a highly advanced stage to me, the rest of you are still some way away…do some breathing excercise children…INHALE…EXHALE
INHALE….EXHALE……..INHALE…..EXHALE….i am sure you will feel better
Ouch – sounds like another Bhangee who has some passive-aggressive issues with the many failures of his ‘intelligence’ agency. Yeah, breathe in…
A
THAT IS WHY INDIA PRESSURISES ME NOT TO EXPOSE THEIR (OF INDIA) EVIL SECRETS AND IN THIS CONNECTION DIFFERENT INDIAN AUTHORITIES THREATEN TO POISON ME TO DEATH WHILE AS INDIAN MILITARY OFFICERS THREATEN TO KILL ME THROUGH ANY MEANS AND IN ANY SITUATION WHILE AS THE LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS THREATEN TO ARREST ME IN CASE I EXPOSE INDIAN NULEAR PROLIFERATION SECRETS WHICH INCLUDES THAT OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AS WELL BESIDES OTHER THINGS
INDIA IS IN FACT A TERRORIST COUNTRY WHICH IS MISUSING THE DESPIRATION OF USA
Why? is ISI destroying india’s enemies?
its destroying pakistan right now, so i guess..
Funny – that’s not the story your ’soldiers’ tell when they get their @sses stripped off the bones by the ISI-sponsored Maoists…
A
BY the way, unlike ISI, DRDO does not keep its secrets in laptops.
haha ISI keeps secret in laptops!!
Is that why we are rated one of the best agencies in the world… while your RAW started a plan in Pakistan and always fails.. where ISI plays with your RAW!!
if ISI is the best agency in the world, then india is already a superpower
Yup…burying babies is the new route to success, apparently. Well done.
A
A failed state is being loaded with lethal materials. Now we all should be really worried and we must stop America selling bad stuff to such failed and a criminal terrorist Hindustan/India like country.
Dear COMMUNIST!!!!
I think it’s time for a new keyboard…your CAPS LOCK key seems to be stuck forever…
ROFL
LOL – the poor Bhangees on this thread have been reduced to pretending to laugh at lame jokes. Sad sight.
A
i guess its all serious and no jokes in the terror training camp. sorry
You tell me, you’re the one in AIDSville. Doesn’t really seem that funny from here…
A
One thing to understand here is that nowhere in the world such sensitive data is taken in the laptops and even if the data taken then it is always encrypted. RAW and Indian agencies use special 4096 bit proprietry encryption(nobody has the hack for this encryption method , MOSSAD and CIA also use 4096 bit encryption but algorithm is different than what RAW uses) and not the 1024 bit RSA security(developed by USA and can be unencrypted by US agencies , thsi algo is not used by any intelligence agency). Looking at this piece of news and with my previous experience of analysing the intelligence I can certainly say that this new has been deliberately spread by RAW for some very high level reason perhaps to hide the info under the excuse of losing the stored info.
This news seems to mislead some spy agency , most probably chinese or ISI.
RAW is well known for throwing its enemies into confusion like spreading the news that there is a danger of Maoist in India( a deadly double edged purpose is being served by spreading this news by RAW). All these techniques of RAW are similar to Mossad. While RAW and MOSSAD are allies in the underground activities and work s vehicle for CIA and British agency, CIA and British agency are busy with the agenda on forefront. RAW, MOSSAD, CIA and British agency are allies and most probably China will also join in as it seems very likely that China is sitting on fence about Pakistan and will most probably fall towards allied forces(India, Britain , Israel and USA) for gulf oil because even with Pakistan its purpose is only a channel to reach to gulf for oil at cheaper transport cost.
For the analysis of intelligence info one must not directly believe in what comes before his eyes.
http://eaglesofpakistan.blogspot.com/
@info spy
buddy you are wrong about the china pakistan relationship.you see china doesnt forget its history.chinese and muslims have always been friends.that is why no wars have been fought between muslims and china.they let us spread the message without any wars.hindus have always been against china,the racist cult they are.china finds our history and rivalry with india a reason to befriend with us.gulf comes later.
I am sure you do know that the Chinese love to eat Pork and they kill muslims in their Uyghur province…Good luck making friends with them…