Due to the entire national security apparatus being under secrecy, India's intelligence research remains a forbidden zone in academia. In the recent diplomatic dispute between India and Canada, the filtered statements in public debates and something else prevent an objective understanding of how India's intelligence agencies operate. Proactive social media further exacerbates misinformation and propaganda, creating distorted narratives devoid of reasonable analysis.

Elsewhere, particularly in North America and Europe, intelligence studies is a mature discipline and a continuously thriving field, with new perspectives and research areas emerging. In addition to the extensive works by former practitioners (i.e., senior officials from security intelligence agencies), exclusive journals such as "Intelligence and National Security," "International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence," and "Journal of Intelligence History" have enhanced public understanding of intelligence through empirical research. The International Studies Association () established the Intelligence Studies Section () in to promote research on all aspects of intelligence.

Intelligence research is growing exponentially, but literature and academic studies on intelligence in India remain scarce. In the recent diplomatic dispute between India and Canada, filtering out some rhetoric and whatnot from public debates has left us with little objective understanding of how India's intelligence agencies operate. The lack of intelligence research in India can be attributed to several reasons: the absence of archival data and declassified official documents, unequal access to raw data, legal obstacles faced by former practitioners when attempting to publish materials related to intelligence matters, the lack of official histories of intelligence agencies, skepticism and reluctance within the intelligence community to promote research, and the neglect of this field by the Indian academic community.

Therefore, despite the growing public demand for knowledge on such issues in India, people have no choice but to succumb to the omnipotent New Delhi clique that dominates intelligence discussions in India. Nevertheless, a significant amount of literature on intelligence has been written by former practitioners in India. This list includes numerous former officials such as 、. 、. 、. 、 、 etc. Some former practitioners, along with scholars and journalists, also report on intelligence in other media, such as newspaper articles, commentaries, and book chapters.

A compilation of speeches by renowned figures from the annual memorial lecture series organized by the Research and Analysis Wing (&) and the centennial endowment lecture series organized by the Intelligence Bureau () can be of great assistance to researchers and all interested individuals. Institutions such as the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (-) and the Bureau of Police Research and Development () have not adequately addressed the issue of indigenous knowledge creation in intelligence, at least in the public domain.

Only a few universities in India offer specialized intelligence dissertations. Central University of Gujarat, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Jindal Global University, Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice, National Forensic Sciences University, and the Department of International Relations and Security Studies at Rashtriya Raksha University are among the few that provide such specialized dissertations. Other premier universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Allahabad, and Banaras Hindu University, which are the oldest and most prestigious institutions in defense and strategic studies, international relations, and related disciplines, lack such dissertations.

Therefore, India largely lacks academic analysis of the role of intelligence in war, internal security management, diplomacy, and domestic politics. Universities closely associated with the strategic community should take the lead in establishing specialized intelligence research centers. Promoting expertise and research in intelligence can help higher education institutions recruit faculty, thereby further solidifying the existing knowledge base, bringing new perspectives and topics, and expanding the field beyond English-speaking countries.

However, what is still lacking are real-world experiences and case studies: (1) How does intelligence operate in our country? (This may differ from common understanding); (2) How are real-life missions conducted, what are the determining factors that influence the entire mission? From when the need for such a mission is felt, how it is planned and executed, and what are the expected and unexpected outcomes in the later stages of execution; (3) How do different actors behave and react in the interaction between intelligence and policy? (4) How are intelligence reports written, that is, the communication of intelligence, and how do policymakers perceive them?

The reason for this deficiency is the lack of professional experience in the field. Although Indian university teachers lack this experience, they should not be blamed for it. This is a flaw in the country's intelligence education system. In India, there are almost no intelligence professionals who transition to academic pursuits, that is, professionals in the field of intelligence research who become scholars. The existence of such scholars has promoted intelligence research in the West. It is the existence of this particular interaction that has promoted intelligence research in the West.

In India, academic analysis on the role of intelligence in war, internal security management, diplomacy, and domestic politics is largely absent. This situation can be improved when government agencies authorize professionals to discuss relevant real-life experiences and observations, which can be facilitated by declassifying some real cases to aid intelligence teaching in classrooms. There is an increasing call to preserve the official history of Indian intelligence agencies and declassify their archives, supported by former practitioners. It is reported that former senior official Ramanathan Kumar played a significant role in compiling the archives and writing the official history.

One of the benefits of starting such practices early is that it may cater to the interests of intelligence research scholars and practitioners, arguably also narrowing the gap between the two. Some clues can be found in the now-declassified reports of the task force on increasing the openness of the CIA. India's intelligence research can be further streamlined by establishing associations such as the International Association for Intelligence Education () and developing institutions like the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (), which can provide a closer collaboration platform for scholars and the intelligence community.

A fine example of such an initiative is the commendable publication, "A Guide to Intelligence Studies." Only through the concerted efforts of the intelligence community, government agencies, think tanks, and relevant university departments can intelligence studies thrive. Intelligence studies can serve as a bulwark against fantasists and conspiracy theorists who have previously misled the public. The future requires controlling narratives, managing perceptions, and gaining psychological advantage. Intelligence studies may act as a catalyst in this regard, but policymakers should also be prepared to confront thorny issues of performance, oversight, and accountability.