IB Full Form

IB stands for Intelligence Bureau. It’s a secret agency which is formed under the ministry of Home Affairs. The main agenda of the intelligence bureau is to work for India’s internal security and internal affairs. It was founded as a special brunch in 1887. One of the main agenda of the IB is to work 24*7 to prevent and bust terrorist attacks. Along with the powers it has, IB has a lot of confidentiality in the field. The introduction of the website of National Intelligence Bureau says that they are here to maintain better law and order, and provide countrymen the secure environment to live. They are here to prevent the threats coming.

The motto of IB is “Always Alert”. Even if we go by the literal meaning of it, the employees are at the battlefield 24*7 while we are sleeping. They are the main building blocks of our nation’s security. Along with the other works of the ministry of home affairs like border security management, anti-terrorism measurements, an investigative agency is formed with hyper sensitive secret sources and employees to keep us safe. The job profile of an IB employee is different from other agencies like RAW, CBI. They can be employed in RAW, Airport Protection department, CRPF and other departments of internal security. IB reports under the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding domestic intelligence, preventing terrorist attacks, counter-intelligence.

Background    

Initially IB was active both in internal and external matters. After two coordination failures, one in 1962 during Sino- Indian War and another one during India- Pakistan War (1965), the external branch was handed over to the research and analysis wing which was newly inaugurated.

Strategies and work culture

The main work culture includes secrecy at its ultimate level. There are several achievements included in the department which are highly confidential. However, in a situation of crisis, IB has the audacity to contract or face the media. Bureau can even work or search a place without any warrant. It works in a way that the other operative systems stay alert before any attacks happen. It’s not possible for an agency to work so perfectly that every attack is alarmed before happening. The Mumbai 2008 attack was one of the failed ones. Though it is reported officially that the IB repeatedly alarmed the headquarters about the attack.

Limitations 

We, as some regular individuals, cannot know about the limitations or how the IB and other related agencies work. However, only data available on the internet can give some ideas about it. It is argued that IB officers have a lot of limitations if compared to the RAW agents. They even stay undercover like a shopkeeper or a simple individual most of the time. In times of crisis, they are directly recruited by the RAW to work like an agent. All these sacrifices and the dedications towards the country of an undercover agent often stay unknown, declassified. Their lives are often at stake without knowingly or unknowingly. They cannot work or involve themselves in any type of political organisations, media and other organising bodies which do not come under the Central Government.

There have been a lot of changes and reforms undertaken since the birth of IB and other secret agencies. Still there are several things to look for. The infrastructure of attaining better and better intelligence capabilities is still questionable. Banning apps is not a thing to prevent terrorism we can definitely say. 

Conclusion

It has been 135 years since the secret agencies have given our nation’s safety. It has gone through a lot of reforms to attain better security measures. However, incidents like the Mumbai 2008 attack, Pulwama attack showed us the actual scenario that’s been present. It is the duty of the ministry to take better decisions on how to transform the agency and become more concrete in case of internal affairs. Banning apps after an attack cannot be described as a solution. Even after being a secret agency and all, the failures are being represented over the society.