Trump Disruption in Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance

Syllabus: GS2/International Relations

Context

• The Five Eyes intelligence alliance is facing challenges due to shifts in U.S. foreign policy during the Presidency of Donald Trump.

About the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance (FVEY)

• It is one of the most powerful and secretive intelligence-sharing alliances in the world, comprising the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Origins and Evolution:
  • The foundation of Five Eyes was laid during the Second World War when the US and UK signed the UKUSA Agreement in 1946, formalizing their intelligence-sharing mechanism.
  • Canada (1948), Australia (1956), and New Zealand (1956) later joined, creating a trusted circle of Anglo-Saxon nations dedicated to seamless intelligence collaboration.
• Initially focused on monitoring Soviet communications during the Cold War, the alliance adapted over time to cover terrorism, cyber warfare, and threats from rising global powers.
• It operates primarily through agencies such as:
  • United States: National Security Agency (NSA)
  • United Kingdom: Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
  • Canada: Communications Security Establishment (CSE)
  • Australia: Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)
  • New Zealand: Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB)
• It uses advanced surveillance tools such as the ECHELON system, a vast global interception network capable of monitoring communications across various platforms, including emails, phone calls, and online activities.

Functions and Intelligence-Sharing Mechanism

• Signal Intelligence (SIGINT): Monitoring electronic communications, satellite data, and cyber threats.
• Human Intelligence (HUMINT): Gathering intelligence from spies and undercover agents.
• Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT): Satellite imagery and mapping for security and military operations.
• Cyber Intelligence: Tracking cyber threats, hacking attempts, and state-sponsored cyber espionage.
• Counterterrorism Intelligence: Monitoring global terror networks, preventing radicalization, and foiling attacks.
• Geopolitical Monitoring: Keeping track of developments in regions of strategic interest, such as the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.

Controversies and Challenges

• Privacy Concerns: Revelations by whistleblowers, such as Edward Snowden, have raised concerns about mass surveillance and the potential misuse of collected data.
• Geopolitical Tensions: The alliance’s focus on monitoring nations like China and Russia has led to diplomatic tensions.
• Internal Frictions: Differences in policy priorities and approaches among member nations occasionally create friction within the alliance.

Five Eyes in the 21st Century

• China and Russia: The alliance is increasingly focused on countering China’s expanding influence in technology, trade, and security.
  • Similarly, Russia’s hybrid warfare strategies, including disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks, are closely monitored.
• Counterterrorism and Extremism: Post 9/11, counterterrorism became a primary objective, leading to extensive surveillance programs targeting terror organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
  • Intelligence-sharing among the Five Eyes nations has helped prevent several major terror plots globally.
• Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Threats: Aiming to counter ransomware attacks, data breaches, and AI-driven disinformation campaigns.
• Surveillance and Privacy Concerns: Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden exposed controversial mass surveillance programs like PRISM, raising ethical questions about the alliance’s activities.
  • Governments defend these practices as necessary for national security, but concerns over privacy violations persist.

Geopolitical Implications: A Challenge for India?

• India, though not part of Five Eyes, has engaged in limited intelligence-sharing with the alliance, particularly in counterterrorism and cyber threats.
  • Recently, a conference of global intelligence and security chiefs, held in New Delhi, India, brought together intelligence chiefs from over 20 countries, including representatives of Five Eyes alliance nations.
• The possibility of expanding the group to include partners like India, Japan, and Germany has been discussed, but remains a subject of debate due to trust issues and strategic concerns.

Source: IE