Context
The Union Home Ministry has listed National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) under The Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985.
About Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985
Agencies included under the act:
a)IB, R&AW and NTRO are covered by the act.
b)Other security agencies like the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have also been asking the Home Ministry to include them under the Intelligence Organisations Act.
Salient features of the Act:
The Act puts the following restriction on the agency notified under the act
a)Prevents employees the agency from forming unions/associations and
b)Puts restrictions on the employee’s freedom of speech (It bars any communication with the press, or publishing a book/document without the permission of the head of the intelligence organization).
This was done to ensure that the intelligence officials do not leak out information and embarrass the government.
About National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)
The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) is a technical intelligence agency under the National Security Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office, India. It was set up in 2004. It also includes National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), which is first of its kind in Asia.
The agency develops technology capabilities in aviation and remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber security, cryptology systems, strategic hardware and software development and strategic monitoring.
The National Critical Infrastructure Protection Centre, an agency under the control of National Technical Research Organisation, has been created to monitor, intercept and assess threats to crucial infrastructure and other vital installations from intelligence gathered using sensors and platforms which include satellites, underwater buoys, drones, VSAT-terminal locators and fiber-optic cable nodal tap points.
Significance
By this NTRO will have the same “norms of conduct” as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). This would not give the NTRO any powers to intercept. However it would ensure that there are strict norms of conduct in place.