In the 2001 Tony Scott-directed thriller “Spy Game,” an emotionally charged and stressed Tom Bishop (played by Brad Pitt) howls at Nathan Muir (played by Robert Redford) that the spy profession is not a game, to which Muir calmly retorts, “Oh yes it is, it is exactly a game… and this is not what you want to lose.” All states play this game, as intelligence organisations are a major instrument of statecraft. They determine the intentions, capabilities, and plans of target states, non-state actors, or terrorist organisations, and play an important role in reducing uncertainty in decision-making by providing advance warning and information that might not be available through normal diplomatic channels, so that governments can take more informed decisions. Whenever diplomacy and direct military involvement are not considered an option, these organisations engage in covert operations. However, over the years, few states have mastered this game and relied on spies to achieve their objectives as much as India.

On 13 February 2026, Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, confessed and pleaded guilty in a United States court that he took part in plotting to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in 2023. Pannun, an American citizen who also holds Canadian citizenship, is a Sikh rights activist affiliated with a New York-based group called Sikhs for Justice. Gupta contacted a killer for hire and electronically........

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