Vasili Mitrokhin was a senior officer in Soviet Intelligence between 1948- 1984. He defected and filtrated into Britain in the year 1992. From around 1972-1984, he was in the Archives section and he used to smuggle some of the other documents during his lifetime on each day. He used to scribble and keep it under his boots, around 12,000 documents were then accumulated till his last days. He then brought it to England and the Authored many books, Mitrokhin Archives-I and II are one of them. It exposed the secret KGB operations in all the countries of the world.
During the Nehru era, the IB intercepted much correspondence from Moscow to CPI. Moscow many times proposed that the Moderate Nehru government should be overthrown and the CPI should form a government. But the IB and Nehru thought that only the correspondence was sent, no one knew that the Indian embassy was heavily penetrated by the KGB. The methods of Honeytrap were used in most of the cases. Indian Diplomate codenamed PROKHOR was then recruited, Female swallow NEVEROVA had seduced him. He provided huge amounts of intel, embassy codebooks and deciphering tables were also provided twice. Indian information was heavily infiltrated by the soviet during that time. It was sort of a game, KGB penetrating into IB and IB into CPI, and CPI into KGB. Kruschev was much pleased due to the Intel the KGB was providing.
During that time India and Pakistan’s relations were very fragile, and also the American support to them made India rely on Soviet union- America opponent. That time India was also leading the Non-aligned movement and the support of non-aligned to USSR lobbying by India led to the growth of the relations between them.
The then Minister of Defense was Krishna Menon, he was a diplomat and had strong connections and friendly relations with Soviet. Therefore the Soviets made the PR of Menon strong and tried to make him a great figure in public, so if he then became something more powerfully they can use him. Khrushchev personally instructed the Delhi-based KGB operatives and their moles to set his PR. It was during his tenure, India received Arms from Ussr instead of the West. They also made the decision to buy MIG-21 instead of British Lightings. Soon due to China’s invasion in India, he was made a scapegoat due to his friendliness with Socialist nations and he was then dismissed on Oct 1962. Though Moscow though that he can be made independently a face, but due to his most of the life outside India and not knowing Hindi or other regional languages he was of no use to the public life. Congress did not nominate him in the 1967 elections, he lost as independent and then 2 years later with CPI’s support he was won. his campaign was funded by KGB and also the Problems he stated came from the soviet.
After Nehru’s death, it was time for Moscow to think and lobby for the successor. Candidates were Nanda and Shastri. Though Nanda was closest as compared to Shastri, the successor was Shastri. But KGB failed to persuade both. In 1966 he died, though some filmmakers made a story that his death was a spy mission, but who can dare to kill a prime minister of any nation. Also the Mitrokhin archives have no statement of this kind. After his death, Indira Gandhi was made his successor. she KGB code-named her as VANO- there have been many stories as she was a spy, no she wasn’t a spy she was only code-named so no one knows if the message is interpreted by other agencies. Also during his father’s premiership, she flew to a trip to Russia when she was escorted she also holidayed at Black sea and was gifted Mink Coat by Khruschev.
When she was made Prime minster, Moscow during the early stages underestimated her. Also the strategy in 1966 elections was to organize the Left-alliance against Congress-Indira. Also there have been many findings to some Congressman’s, codenamed ABAD meaning powerful and influential. The loss of the election by S.K. Patil and his anti-communist program was heavily orchestrated by KGB. They forged many documents ranging from US consulate to may diplomatic letters, this also caused Congress to loss of 21 seats in that elections. In 1969 she had nationalized banks and sought the help of Left alliance with the support of Moscow. In 1975 emergency was declared and Indira lost her glory for a short period. After that the party was divided into two- Congress-I and Congress Syndicate. Inder Malhotra also cited that reign is like a courtier culture. Indira Gandhi was famous in soviet also, many parents named her daughters as Indira.
Pakistan’s defeat in the India-Pakistan war and also in spite of the Diplomatic support of the USA and China could not do anything, made a sign of happiness in India and well soviet because the USA and China also saw the sign of defeat. That time the Infiltration of Soviet diplomats and Agents in India was the highest, they were everywhere also they planted around 5,000 news articles and many demonstrations organized indirectly by KGB. Though the CIA was also responsible in many ways, it wasn’t exposed with proof like KGB did. Many stories of CIA funding the insurgency in the northeast by Christian missionaries as known.
In an interview with ex-RAW chief Vikram Sood, he cited that a successful mission and a successful agent is never known to any. The mission is unsuccessful it is exposed to the outer public. Unlike movies the agents don’t perform like James Bond. They always have a cover post, meaning attached to Diplomatic High Commission and also they have immunity which they cannot be arrested in other nations. Though the intelligence and operations are done mostly by paid agents and the moles. There have been many operations and agents which are not known and will not be known to anybody except the one who has military clearance to know.
The most patriotic person ever is the agents working for the intelligence, they spend their whole life on the service of the nation without any family or smooth life. Some day a covert operative in the Hottest deserts of Sahara, another day the coldest Siberian regions. One cannot sleep during the night, one cannot eat peacefully- always there has been a danger of their lives if they are not covered by their diplomatic immunity. If anyone is caught, one mostly cleared all his work and he kills, and the Nation which recruits him to avoid any war-like situations never accept that the agent was his recruit. They live just with us but we won’t ever know they are not one of us.
