Intelligence agents operating in the hidden world remain a mystery to ordinary citizens. The public’s understanding of national security operations is largely shaped by movies, but reality bears little resemblance to what unfolds on the screen. Espionage rarely operates within the bounds of legitimacy and its stories are rarely told. Nameless, faceless agents—spies, assets, and handlers—work in the shadows to protect their nations, their contributions unknown and unacknowledged.
In her latest book, The Delhi Directive: Once You’re Mark, There’s No Escape (published by Juggernaut), investigative journalist and author Anirudhya Mitra carefully sketches the details of missions that never “officially” took place. It’s quite an eye-opener about intelligence operations, terrorism, covert warfare, the hidden machinery of global power, and how nations protect themselves from the public narrative. Edited excerpts from the interview:
Journalist-turned-author Anirudhya Mitra’s book delves into intelligence operations, terrorism and covert warfare.
Q: You said the Delhi directive is based on actual R&AW operations. How long did it take you to write it?
A: It took me my entire career to understand the world of espionage, and I still feel like I’m just scratching the surface. The people I follow are operating in the dark.
In 2023, after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (a Canadian Sikh involved in the Khalistan movement), I started looking into it because it was not a routine allegation; it had diplomatic implications.
Instead of simply accepting the Indian government’s denials or rejecting Trudeau outright, I wanted to explore how such operations are perceived globally.
Q: The Bollywood hit Dhurandhar, about an Indian secret agent, has generated a lot of interest recently. Why did you fictionalize the spy universe in your book, when books have more to offer than movies, which often take creative liberties?
Ranveer Singh plays an Indian secret agent in Dhurandhar.
A: The grammar of cinematography is different because it compresses reality into spectacle. A book can open up layers. I had no choice but to write my book as fiction because the government will be the first to deny if you publish the operational details as non-fiction. Hidden funds are not officially registered. Workers use false identities. Written approvals for sensitive actions rarely exist.
Q: The book highlights the story of an Indian spy who goes after the most wanted Indian criminals in Pakistan, Canada, the UK and the US and the Persian Gulf. It shows the achievements of our agency staff despite challenges and limited resources.
Answer: Yes, Indian intelligence does not have the global budget of the CIA or the vast electronic surveillance network of the United States. Yet it operates across regions, working in difficult environments, often without the luxury of open political cover. In reality, it’s long waits, endless paperwork, coded conversations, and huge personal risk without recognition. It fascinates me and I wanted to show how complex and disciplined the ecosystem really is.
Q: In the book, you talk about India’s paradigm shift in intelligence strategy after 2014. How far has the government’s zero-tolerance policy reduced terrorism?
A: The 2016 Uri surgical strikes were not just a military response. They were the message. For decades, India absorbed the attacks and responded with writs and diplomatic protests. After 2014, the signaling changed. India has made it clear that cross-border terror will demand visible retaliation. In geopolitics, perception matters. If your opponent believes you will react, the cost of misfortune increases.
Zero tolerance is pushing networks, disrupting funding and forcing manipulators across borders to think twice. That’s the shift.
A guard at an Indian Army checkpoint in Kashmir. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Q: Why do you think spy stories resonate so strongly? How has espionage evolved over the years?
A: People like spy stories because they know there’s more going on than what they see in TV debates. Someone is constantly watching them, tracking them, stopping them, negotiating. And most of those people will never be known. If they fail, they are rejected. If they succeed, no one hears about it. That tension and the idea that there is a hidden layer beneath politics where decisions are made quietly but affect millions draws the reader in.
Q: How do you observe the terrorist financing ecosystem?
A: Terror is expensive. Weapons, explosives, logistics, safe houses, legal defense and propaganda run on money.
In my book, you read about Harwinder Singh Rinda, a wanted terrorist based in Lahore who allegedly moved Afghan heroin to Latin American cartels. Some of this money is intended to fund Khalistani networks in Canada and the US. There are also allegations that weapons and explosives move through the same channels. This is not a fantasy. This is how modern hybrid warfare works.
An intelligence veteran once told me that drugs fund weapons, weapons create leverage, and then leverage creates diplomatic bargaining power. But the cold truth is that today’s asset becomes tomorrow’s embarrassment. Agents are destroyed when liabilities become. When a militant group becomes too visible, uncontrollable or costly, the plug is pulled. Sometimes quietly, sometimes violently.
Question: People see an engaging and fascinating portrayal of the FBI, ISI, CIA, KGB on the silver screen. What is the difference between R&AW and other news agencies?
Getty Images
A: The real difference is how big they are, how much freedom they get and what kind of system they operate on. Some have huge budgets and operate across continents with the open support of their governments. Others work more quietly, with fewer resources, shaped by regional pressures and political realities.
The CIA has a global reach and huge budgets. After 9/11, it openly conducted drone strikes and covert operations across continents.
The ISI has historically used non-state actors as strategic tools in Afghanistan and Kashmir. This is part of its military-dominated structure.
The KGB and today’s FSB operate in a tightly controlled system where covert elimination and counterintelligence are institutionalized.
The R&AW was formed in 1968 after the wars of 1962 and 1965 exposed serious gaps in intelligence. It operated quietly for decades, focusing on neighborhood intelligence. She didn’t advertise herself. It wasn’t just celebrated. After 2014, the signaling changed. India has become more open about some cross-border reactions. But R&AW still doesn’t hold press briefings about hidden achievements. They don’t make movies that glorify themselves. He prefers silence. And sometimes silence is strength.
The interviewer is a senior journalist based in Delhi.
