Australia expels ‘Indian spies’ trying to ‘steal secrets’: Report

NEW DELHI: Australia has expelled an unspecified number of Indian spies who were caught trying to “steal secrets” about sensitive defence projects and airport security, and classified information on trade relationships, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday.

A so-called “nest of spies” disrupted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2020 was also accused of closely monitoring Indians living in Australia and developing close relationships with current and former politicians, the national broadcaster reported.

There was no immediate reaction from Indian officials on the report by the ABC.

The revelations by ABC were not entirely new as ASIO director-general Mike Burgess had alluded to a spy ring in an annual threat assessment in 2021.

Though he didn’t name the country behind the activity.

“The spies developed targeted relationships with current and former politicians, a foreign embassy and a state police service,” Burgess had said in a speech at ASIO’s headquarters in Canberra in March 2021.

“They monitored their country’s diaspora community. They tried to obtain classified information about Australia’s trade relationships,” he had said in the speech that was reported by the Australian media

ABC said “national security and government figures” had confirmed that India’s foreign intelligence service was responsible for the “nest of spies” and that “a number” of Indian officials were removed from Australia by the government.