NYT report reveals deal between India- Israel on pegasus
Pegasus leak last year highlighted serious concerns on privacy of the Indian citizen after it was found out that the Indian government was involved in the matter and was in fact responsible for hiring the Israel security service for surveillance purposes.
Investigations were ordered on whether the agency was hired to take a look over the nation’s security status or just take political gains.
As per a report by the New York Times, the Isreali spyware Pegasus along with a missile system were part of a deal between India and Israel in 2017. The deal roughly summed up at $2 billion and included weaponry exchange.
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Investigations were ordered after a massive controversy that erupted last year when the NSO Group made headlines alleging that the government has been using Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and even some of the other nations.
Not only was this considered a privacy breach, it was also called an attempt by the government to curb or control the freedom of the citizens. The NYT report states that the group has been involved in selling its software for over a decade. They have been selling this software to intelligence agencies all around the world.
The report also highlights that a lot was changed after the Indian prime minister visited Israel. Narendra Modi visited Israel in 2017 and the visit was termed as the first-ever attempt of India to relax the sour ties. “For decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called “commitment to the Palestinian cause,” said the report.
