R.N Kao — The Father of Modern Indian Espionage
A legendary spymaster who single-handedly shaped India’s intelligence community
When we think of spies, the first image to pop into our minds is that of James Bond, no doubt the most famous fictional spy in history. Based on agents from the UK’s Naval Intelligence Division in WW2, the glamorous, action-filled spymaster gave espionage the alluring image it has today.
However, actual spies operate behind the scenes while gathering information, remaining private. Nobody exemplified this better than Rameshwar Nath Kao, the first chief of India’s Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), and the father of modern Indian espionage. Today, he is a legend in the intelligence community, credited for putting R&AW on the world stage.
But how did this come to pass?
Background:
Born in 1918 to a Kashmiri Pandit family, R.N Kao joined the Indian Imperial Police in 1940, serving as Assistant Superintendent of Police (U.S. equivalent of Lieutenant) in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was later posted at the IB (India’s Intelligence Bureau), handling security for Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and foreign dignitaries. This experience would later prove vital when working with Nehru’s daughter Indira (when she became prime minister) on forming R&AW.
One of Kao’s most notable assignments was the investigation of the 1955 Kashmir Princess aircraft crash, later determined to be an assassination attempt on then-Chinese premier Zhou Enlai. In addition, he assisted Ghanian Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah with building his country’s intelligence apparatus, notably its Foreign Service Research Bureau (FRSB). These accomplishments made Kao a force to be reckoned with in India’s intelligence community.
Formation of R&AW
India’s defeat in the 1962 war against China and failure to predict Pakistan’s military operation in Jammu-Kashmir in 1965 led to the realization that India’s intelligence apparatus needed to be restructured. In particular, the IB (Intelligence Bureau), responsible for the country’s internal security, had been held back by excess bureaucracy, which hampered its decisiveness and leadership.
In 1968, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi authorized the formation of R&AW, which would remain separate from IB and focus on external intelligence gathering. The agency would report directly to her, and its chief would be made a ‘secretary’ in the prime minister’s office. This meant Kao, as R&AW’s founder and chief, had the power to make immediate decisions regarding operations without going through the excess bureaucracy.
Generally, such a significant department shakeup is impossible to do without the support of those at the highest level. If Gandhi did not have full trust in Kao, or he did not have unlimited access to her, likely, R&AW might not have come to fruition. Or if it did, Kao might not have had the necessary leeway to develop the agency as he did without encountering more pushback. His leadership proved crucial in recruiting the strongest possible core team and setting up the most advanced telecommunications department, supported by the newest and most sophisticated technology.
Just three years later, Kao’s work would bear fruit in guiding India throughout the 1971 conflict with Pakistan over Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). During this period, R&AW provided training, weapons, and ammunition to Mukti Bahini, a Bengali guerilla force fighting for East Pakistan’s independence. In addition, the agency provided vital intelligence on Pakistani troop movements and capabilities to the Indian armed forces, enabling them to execute flawless operations. As a result, India was able to claim victory by capturing a significant portion of East Pakistan, which in turn allowed them to declare their independence as the new state of Bangladesh.
After the 1971 India-Pakistan War
After Indira Gandhi’s Congress party was defeated in the 1977 elections, Kao was viewed with suspicion by the new government led by Morarji Desai, who had previously accused R&AW of spying on the opposition. He chose to resign and stay out of the public eye, while an inquiry was conducted and later cleared both the agency and himself of wrongdoing. Kao later worked as a security advisor for Gandhi when she returned to power and for her son Rajiv Gandhi.
Retirement:
The basic principle of being a spy is staying in the shadows and out of the public. Remaining true to this, Kao stayed out of public life upon retirement, until he died in 2002. Despite his achievements, he remained a soft-spoken, private individual, earning praise all over for his talent, humility, and patience.
“What a fascinating mix of physical and mental elegance. What accomplishments and what friendships! And yet so shy of talking about himself [Kao], his accomplishments, and his friends.”
— Count Alexandre de Marenches.
(Chief of French External Intelligence Agency, SDECE, in 1982)
Today, R.N. Kao remains a legend in the intelligence community, credited for making R&AW a formidable force within a few years of inception and putting Indian intelligence on the world stage. Those who worked under him in R&AW’s early years were nicknamed the ‘Kaoboys,’ and he was universally well-regarded.
Sources:
RAW: India’s external intelligence agency
The War That Made R&AW Novel
The Kaoboys Of R&AW novel
R.N Kao Quotes
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