Nearly every country in the world has an agency charged with gathering, processing, and analyzing information from around the world. They maintain national security and protect their countries’ interests in all aspects – economic, political, and military. But which countries have the best intelligence agencies in the world?
Little information about intelligence agencies is public.
Some of these agencies have agreements to share information with others for greater impact. Others are extremely secretive and make it a point to share with no one.
Countless countries have spies scattered across the globe to gather intelligence. But information about who these spies are and exactly how they operate, is – naturally – highly classified.
Still, it is possible to estimate which countries maintain the best intelligence agencies in the world.
Who operates most effectively? Most secretly? Whose spies are the most deadly? The most ruthless? Who has the best technology? Keep reading to find out.
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency. This agency provides critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan.
Authorities founded the agency after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-48, which had revealed critical intelligence shortcomings. The ISI consists of officers from different branches of the armed forces – the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The current head of ISI is General Faiz Hameed. He has held the position of Director General since June 2019. This is the only position of the entire agency that is overt. Since 1971, only three-star army generals have occupied the post. Ostensibly, the agency reports directly to the Prime Minister and the Army Chief.
In the 1980s, the ISI gained global fame during the Soviet-Afghan War. Working closely with the CIA, the agency helped prop up the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet Union. Since then, it has been embroiled directly and indirectly in terrorism controversies in the region.
In the 1990s, the ISI provided intelligence and strategic support to the Taliban during the Afghan Civil War to counter India’s influence in the region. Officially, it changed allegiances after 2001, though reports have indicated continued support of the Taliban.
According to intelligence experts, what gives the ISI an edge is its unpredictability and lack of transparency. Both these traits naturally draw international criticism. Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto once characterized the agency as a “state within a state”.
Not only does the US maintain one of the top armies in the world. It can also boast several of the best intelligence agencies. What sets them apart is their use of carefully guarded, cutting-edge technology.
In total, the United States’ Intelligence Community (IC) consists of 16 separate agencies. The most notable and recognizable among them are the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The CIA focuses on gathering, analyzing, and providing overseas intelligence for the President and Cabinet of the United States. It was created in 1947, as a successor to the World War II Office of Strategic Services (OSS). In particular, the CIA relies on the use of human intelligence – meaning spies.
In contrast, the NSA’s main advantage is its technical prowess. The agency is responsible for intercepting and deciphering foreign signals while protecting the information systems of the United States – at least in theory. In 2013, it was the center of an international scandal. That year, whistle-blower Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA had eavesdropped on millions of Americans, as well as foreign allies.
Finally, the FBI provides the link between intelligence agencies and law enforcement in the country. Contrary to common misconception, it is not a pure intelligence agency.
Mossad is an abbreviation for HaMossad leModiʿin uleTafkidim Meyuḥadim, which translates as ‘Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations’. It is the national intelligence agency of Israel.
Founded in 1951, it operated in secret until the mid-1990s. The agency’s main areas of focus are intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism.
What makes Mossad stand out is that it is entirely separate from Israel’s democratic institutions. No law defines its roles or purpose. What’s more, it’s exempt even from the constitutional laws of Israel. The agency answers only to the Prime Minister. Consequently, international observers have described it as a deep state.
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) of the United Kingdom has a long history. It actually dates back to 1909, making it one of the oldest intelligence services in the world. More commonly, the SIS is famous under its alias, MI6 – the agency for which James Bond works in Ian Fleming’s famous novels.
Like most other services on this list, MI6 focuses on external threats, from nuclear weapons to organized crime. Internal threats to national security are within the purview of a different agency, MI5.
The organization’s headquarters are in London and its annual budget is estimated at £3 billion.
The Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), is Germany’s foreign Federal Intelligence Service. Its headquarters – the world’s largest of any intelligence agency – are located in Berlin. Overall, the BND has over 300 locations within Germany and abroad. It answers directly to the German Chancellor’s Office.
Since its foundation during the Cold War in 1956, the West German BND cooperated closely with the CIA. During these years, intelligence experts regarded it second only to the the American agency.
Today, the BND is an early-warning system to alert German leaders to foreign threats to national security. It excels in technology, relying heavily on electronic surveillance and wiretapping. From terrorism and organized crime to drug and weapons trafficking, the BND gathers both military and civil intelligence.
Like other intelligence agencies in the region, France’s General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) emerged just after World War II, in 1947. Its structure grew from several earlier intelligence agencies – some dating back to the era of Napoleon, others to the war that had just ended.
In the mid-1960s, the agency saw criticism after it became public that it contributed to the kidnapping and presumed murder of a Moroccan revolutionary living in Paris.
Today, its primary focus is on gathering intelligence from foreign sources to assist in military and strategic decisions for the country. It is especially renowned for economic espionage.
The DGSE headquarters are located in Paris’ 20th arrondissement. In total, it employs more than six thousand people.
G.U. is the Russian acronym for the country’s military intelligence service, the Main Directorate. The more commonly used acronym GRU corresponds to its former name, Main Intelligence Directorate. The acronym for the latter is still in widespread use. It answers to the general chief of staff and the Russian defense minister.
Officially, the agency’s scope includes supplying military intelligence to the president and government. More saliently, though, its published aims also include ensuring Russia’s economic, and technological security.
In this framework, the GRU has run several global hacking campaigns. Targets have included institutions from anti-doping bodies to nuclear power companies. Most notoriously, international exports believe that the GRU was involved in cyber attacks during the 2016 US presidential election.
Russia runs two other prominent intelligence and security services – the Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, and the Federal Security Service, or FSB. Both emerged from the Soviet-era KGB.
The current intelligence agency of China, the Ministry of State Security, has existed since 1983.
Its gathers intelligence on those that could be seen as enemies with the goal of overthrowing or otherwise dismantling the socialist government of China. As such, it plays a major role in censoring China’s internet, cutting off the country’s population from the outside world.
In addition, the MSS is heavily involved in economic espionage. International analysts believe that Chinese telecommunications provider Huawei also contributes to gathering intelligence.
The MSS has over 100,000 intelligence personnel operating both within China and scattered throughout the world. Headquarters are located Beijing. Overall, the MSS has 17 known bureaus or divisions, including a counterintelligence division and a social research division.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) gathers intelligence on threats to Canada’s national security. Since its foundation in 1984, it has conducted operations, both covert and overt, domestically and abroad.
From its headquarters in Ottawa, the CSIS answers to Parliament and the Minister of Public Safety. It works closely with intelligence agencies from other countries, including the United States. In 2020-21, it has a budget of $651 million.
The agency has faced criticism several times. In the 1990s, it was accused of spying on Canadian citizens.
More recently, the CSIS has been criticized for fostering homophobia and racism.
The Australian Secret Intelligence Service has its founding date in 1952. For more than twenty years, the existence of the agency was a secret even within the Australian government. The public only learned about it in 1972, when the Daily Telegraph ran an exposé about spy recruitment at universities.
ASIS forms part of the Australian Intelligence Community. Similar to the CIA, it collects foreign intelligence, counter-intelligence, and liaising with the intelligence agencies of other countries. In particular, its focus lies on gathering intelligence from the Asian and Pacific regions using agents stationed in a wide variety of areas.
Finally, India’s intelligence agency is the Research and Analysis Wing or RAW. Despite its inconspicuous name, RAW is one of the premier intelligence agencies in the world.
Founded in 1968, RAW’s main objective is to gather foreign intelligence, particularly about India’s neighbor, Pakistan. Throughout the years, Pakistan has continued to be a primary target of its intelligence gathering efforts.
Estimates say that RAW employs more than eight thousand field agents in various locations throughout the world. The agency also coordinates with other intelligence agencies. In particular, it regularly communicates with the CIA and Mossad in regard to monitoring Pakistan’s nuclear program.
Pictures are courtesy of creative commons.
Note: This post was originally published on May 5 2010. We have since updated it.
View Comments
By far world best intel agency is U.S. Intelligence Agencies, it has the best technology and the will power. Without them the world would have been ~10 centuries behind.
I think MOSSAD is the best in the world...They have killed almost all the PLO terrorists in the Black September...But RAW is the upcoming best Intelligence Agency in the world...
how raw is best a agency which did not able to trace that some people coming from sea side and band the indian taj hotel and other places lol just talk on fcts
RAW is useless & clueless. It is pbbly very well infiltrated by double agents, mostly Pakistani. RAW did not have a clue as to 26/11, Akshardham and dozen others. Indian people are not safe at all with RAW.
Sorry, the MOSSAD lost a great deal of credibility when it could not correctly call the
1973 Yom Kippar war! Israel's very existence was at stake and the MOSSAD let Israel
down at this most crucial of crucial moments! Some in the MOSSAD would say that they
did in fact called the 1973 war accurately but the military/civilian
leaders did not listen! This is simply an excuse for failure, more common amoung 3rd
world nations!
ISI is the best in the world alhamdulillah now u all jelous
Isi is responseble for 26/11....also isi has very bad reputation..isi is involved with terrorist activities...
Raw is the best agency......
tell me at least ONE achievement done by RAW....RAW is just raw
you are unaware of world politics which you call terreist activities are actually undercover operations done by all inteliigence agencies.even raw is reponsible for bombings in pakistan.
i agrre with you
BAD REPUTATION. ..LOL :P
In your dreams. ISI is by far the best secret agency.
ISI is the best in the world.
you are stupid to think that plo is end.moreover this task is of army not an intelligence agency.raw has most failed undercover mission which the isi has successfull countered.
u r right
I dont think I would waste alot of time trying to prove a point, especially after reading all your comments i can clearly tell how dim-wits yall are.
Recently, Former head of RAW(Indian Intelligence Agency) on a TV interview admitted that ISI(Pakistani Intelligence Agency) is a superior agency when he was asked what he likes about their counter-parts!
lol u the man buddy
yes u r right... ISI rules the world...
ISI ? The Best?
Is that how they saw the coming of taliban, the attack on PNS Mehran, the killing of Osama at abottabad and the thousands of intellgience failures as reasons for being the best?
ISI is an old-school agency taht knows only brute force spy tactics - train bad guys - send them to kill. Its hardlly an "intelligence" agency!!
beta jaani tum abhi bache ho... pehle ISI ki history parho or uske kaarname dekho...
if ur talking about failure then cia had failed twice first 9/11,2nd when ttheir cia thought iraq is devp nuclear weapons shame on cia and that's how they say we r super power they r just champion how to kill innocents..
CIA invited RAW to Afghanistan to undermine Pakistan? It is now an established fact that a group of six colluding intelligence agencies under CIA stationed at Sehra Naward near Kabul are assiduously working on an agenda to secularize, denuclearize and balkanize Pakistan. The CIA has now declared an aggressive but covert war against Pakistan in a desperate attempt to counter success of Pakistan army , ISI and Governor NWFP in countering CIA / RAW backed terrorist groups in the tribal areas of Pakistan.For the first time, there is panic in Langley, CIA headquarters, over the success of Pakistani strategy in tribal areas. It is mentionable that it was due to the professional competence of ISI in foiling the anti-Pakistan plot of CIA and RAW
you dont even know what "intelligence" is.do you forget the defeat of soviet union in afghanistan by isi?
I acknowledge that ISI is far better than RAW in success stories and so far kept Pakistan saved from powers like US, India and Israel however; it could not transformed Pakistan into a stronger country and kept involved in too many issues. ISI should work to narrow down the gaps between India & Pakistan instead of developing relations with China or USA. We share the same culture, same language and same food.
I understand what u r trying to say however it's not ISI's Job to do that, it was the job of politicians who have let us down horribly
Ranjit I respect ur views, thats the spirit india & pakistan need. I agree with u bro
ranjit i don't think that we share same culture and food.. the animal you guys worship of ... well we eat that ... and you also know that PAKISTAN and INDIA can never be together..
its difficult to be together b'cos of the wounds of 1971 and 1999 but it's not impossible my bro!
it is up to us that how we behave to each other. today Russia and US have no conflict. they spend their money for their people's growth. US had war in south asia just b'cos they needed petroleum oil (of course for their own companies) and also due to attack of 11th sep.
why should we bleed ourselves?
A large number of Indians are beef eaters...there is no point in making out differences between the two nations just on the basis of Religion as India is a secular nation with almost 16 crore Muslims. Your country's total population is about 17 crores.Besides the logic of your silly point forces me to ponder that since Russia has a rich culture of Beef eating she Should be regarded as the greatest enemy of India...Is Religion and only Religion our culture???
we worship and care even animals,first u take care your family,and others also will do like that,we no need raw,isi,cia,fbi,mss...etc why u need think others is fool,u need think others is clever than u,first need selfcontrol.pls do something good for others,try to love others,no fighting.
u r right ranjit bhai
For your kind information secret agency is not based on technology its collective approach require for any secret agency and i feel and believe as UAE local ISI is very best doesn't involve any killing activity like most of secret agency do...
nothing you can get with power need thinking. patience.. alot. if the US are the best intelligence then why they couldn't get the control of Afghanistan and why they couldn't stop 9/11.. the war can't win with power. only win with right strategy and cleverness.. which isn't in US intelligence..the situation is in front of every one that US intelligence can't still get the control of Afghanistan
The report doesn't say that ISI is the best ,it says "The World’s Best Intelligence Agencies"...try to understand the difference
having technology and equipment doesn't mean that a agency is best.these rankings are based on ratio of succesful undercover missions which the isi has the most.
mosad is the best agency.they can do anything just in a finch.the rest are just yahoos.the whole damn world is on the tips of the mosad's finger.they control the cia,the raw and the rest agency.so there is no rarings.gud going mosad.you deserve it.other wise i hate you
I accept CIA is best in technology and resources... but CIA is the world's best terrorist organization. who killed millions of people in iraq and afghanistan,,,, without CIA world would have been ten centuries forward not behind in iraq and afghanistan... I have nothing to do with iraqi and afghani people I dont even know anyone one of them but I am aware of what CIA and america have done iraq and afghanistan.... I am only talking about justice,,, and I am not forcing my ideas on you,,, may be you will not agree with me, If you dont have the ability make difference between justice and injuctice,,
Regards
I believe in RAW. Go RAW Go. Anything is possible for RAW.
Yes......Go RAW GO and go to HELL........
but i believe in ISI. GO ISI GO. BUT NOTHING IS IMPOSIBILE FOR ISI.
isi is the best
ISI is the biggest terrorist organization in the world and it works with Al-Qaida to spread terror all over the world. Pakistan is the epi center of terrorism world.
raw is the the most coward and real terrorist agency of the world wants to destabilize pakistan but they should know that every pakistan in reality a commando and knows how to defend the motherland. raw is involved in baluchistan, they facilitate and funding the terrorist groups, they want to divide muslims in sect and factions.geo isi keep it on and defend pakland.
My dear brother I like your's comments.
India is the biggest terrorist country.
Crush India
Crush India
ISI sucks to the core........Idiotic Survelience Agency(ISI)
yes ISI is the biggest terrorist organization.... good!! both of you go to hell
Shame on You and your terrorist RAW
bas ak baath kahunga hinduo ko ''mhouu ma raam raam aur baghal m churi'' hara sallon pheat ka pecha war kar tha ho samna akka laro patha lag jai tm ko apna ak araab h9nduo ko la ao hum 18 coror hi kafi hain..aur is on top ranking geo ISI...Shame on RAW coward agency.....
You bloody cow fuc*er you r jelous of ISI because isi is the no.1 in the world....FU*K U
Who told you ISI is the biggest terrorist organization in the world and it works with Al-Qaida to spread terror all over the world. did you remained ISI member or we can ISI people always called you and told that we are going to do terrorist like activities.
ISI is the Supreme Intelligence Agency in the world.so kindly be honest be take decision.
Laghari beta, if ISI involved or worked with Al_Qaida then we first killed you. On the other hand, if ISI worked with Taliban then, why Talibans killed our Army soldiers and ISI worker..
Beta pehla socha karo phir zuban kholo aur Ilzam tarashna ki bajay apnay gira.band main jhanko..
raw is a terrorist organization of the world
WHATS ABOUT INDIA MAN.WHAT R THEY DOING WITH KASHMIRIS?
people go there and buy ice,u know there is very cheap,u no need jump the gate,find stright way ,we can give u free ice,our hospitality is grate u know it right.
great good i like that
hahahahahahahaha
oo cha gaya mara bhaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
yes go raw to hell,isi to heaven right,now u happy,ok sleep well.
hahahahahs
Yes Go RAW GO ISI IS Coming, lolxxxx
Come down, We can not Ignore what is TRUE and REAL.
But I think the Important think for us (Asian) are, to have same Rule like EU has for themselves.
There have to have PEACE and PEACE with no BORDER.
well... we dont have to argue for knowing who is the best, instead if we co-operate together and bring peace... then we(the earthians) would be the best... :)
waw,the SMARTEST opinion,i love that.u right,peace is z problem of our world
nice discovery, help people is one main of invention
RAW has a lot of potential..currently it is not that active.....but i believe that RAW will some day rise up when there will be a necessity to....and will be dangerously active.... !!!
one day we defeat india and destroy your bloody raw..................u fool indians
ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) wins by far. They are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh no ben ur igency r far far behing but i hope they will defeat the indian raw in ranking YOU Should know one thing that your agency can easily defeat RAW bcz they are coward....murdabad india.....
well ISI is very best and the foreigners also rely on this....it protects Pak from insergency inside the country...so go ISI go
@Farhan Ojama: Nope. British Intelligence is widely considered to be the best in the world. Since the Australian system is modelled pretty closely on that of the British (from the high-level stuff right down to the nitty-gritty, it's very similar. Apparently MI6 and ASIS even use the same filing system!), it would be a fair assumption the Australian Intelligence Community would be about on par with them.
US Agencies come waaaaay down the list. Oh and by the way, the quality of training (and subsequent competence of the trained officer) is much, much more important than any technology.
Why elite British agencies are still unable to find murderer of Dr imran farooq?
How do you know there even looking for him?
Hmm........really tough to decide but as far as i know and in my DSS subject the most sophisticated networks are Mossad and ISI.......
Mossad having a real high budget and new technological advantage and ISI having brilliant past records and now playing double game with NATO and US government in afghan policy , as a Britisher i vote for M16.
if isi is doubling then what the hell are you doing in muslim land. you are killing our innocent citizens. plz go about ur own business and leave our land. stop slaughtring Muslims in the name of terrorism. do remember you will get nothing from here, we r not terrorist, don't provoke our sentiments. Islam is the message of peace, not terrorism. john bull u yet want to rule in our homeland but this age is ours, not urs. May God give u people reason!
long live ISI, long live Pakistan.
Yes realistic approach, both ISI & Mossad are the elite agencies.....
i tHiNkK soOO ISI iSS mUChHh bEttER thanN CIA or MI6!!!bEcAuSEe oF HiSS worK!!!
ISI is by far,superior to all other agencies for it has had the best past record.