Presence of Indian Nationals in Sensitive Global Institutions Emerges as Security Concern
A growing presence of Indian nationals in sensitive positions within international institutions is increasingly being viewed as a serious global security concern, according to a report by an international broadcasting organisation.
The report states that access and influence of Indian-origin individuals within strategic global institutions has begun to pose security risks, with allegations that India is benefiting from the placement of its nationals in key positions to acquire sensitive information.
According to the broadcaster, a major incident recently occurred within the United States’ cyber defense infrastructure when Madhav Gautamkula, the acting head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), uploaded sensitive government documents onto an artificial intelligence application. The documents reportedly fell under the classification “For Official Use Only,” making their exposure a significant breach of protocol.
Following the incident, the US Department of Homeland Security has reportedly expressed serious concern, and investigations into the matter are currently underway, the broadcaster said.
The report further identified Gautamkula as an Indian-origin official associated with the Trump administration’s cyber security structure, stating that he hails from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
This, the broadcaster noted, is not the first instance of sensitive data leaks involving Indian nationals abroad. Previous cases linked to Indian-origin individuals have drawn international attention in connection with security breaches and alleged espionage-related activities.
One such case cited occurred in October 2025, when a prominent Indian-origin American strategic analyst, Ashley J. Tellis, was reportedly arrested. Authorities allegedly recovered more than one thousand classified and top-secret US defense documents from his residence. US security agencies reportedly described the case as a serious national security threat.
The report also recalled that in 2023, eight former officers of the Indian Navy were arrested in Qatar on charges related to espionage, further intensifying concerns about security vulnerabilities involving foreign nationals in sensitive roles.
Defense experts, quoted in the report, said these incidents collectively raise critical questions about access by Indian nationals to sensitive information in Western and Gulf countries. They argued that a long-term pattern is emerging in which Indian-origin individuals have been linked to access involving sensitive data, defense planning, and cyber systems.
According to these experts, India is allegedly pursuing a structured strategy of intelligence gathering by placing its citizens in key overseas positions to facilitate access to classified and strategic information.
They further emphasized that the United States, along with Western and Gulf countries, must reassess vetting processes, background checks, networks of affiliation, and potential conflicts of interest of individuals occupying sensitive institutional positions to mitigate future risks.
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