Explained: What Is Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that India has chosen to use its diplomats and organized crime to threaten the safety of its citizens, which he considers a significant error by New Delhi amid rising tensions involving the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. His comments come as India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the withdrawal of its High Commissioner to Canada, alongside other targeted officials. This move followed India’s firm rejection of Ottawa’s claims linking its envoy to the investigation into the assassination of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In retaliation, Canada also announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats.

Tensions between India and Canada escalated after Trudeau’s allegations last September regarding the potential involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing. During a press conference, Trudeau elaborated on claims made by the head of the RCMP, who alleged that agents of the Indian government were involved in significant violence in Canada, including homicides, and posed a serious risk to public safety.

‘Five Eyes’ alliance

The ‘Five Eyes’ alliance, a collaborative intelligence-sharing network involving agencies from five English-speaking nations—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States—was originally formed during World War II to counter Soviet threats. This alliance allows for both surveillance-based and signals intelligence (SIGINT) sharing among its members.

The origins of the Five Eyes can be traced back to an agreement signed in 1946, formalizing cooperation in signals intelligence among the U.S. and the U.K. This treaty, known as the British-U.S. Communication Intelligence Agreement (or BRUSA, now called the UKUSA Agreement), focused on various aspects of communication intelligence. Canada joined the alliance in 1948, followed by Australia and New Zealand in 1956.

Although the alliance was established in the 1940s, it remained classified for many years. It wasn’t until 1999 that the existence of BRUSA was acknowledged, and the full text of the agreement was released to the public in 2010.

Sharing extensive intelligence information

In terms of operations, the Five Eyes countries share extensive intelligence information, each with designated SIGINT responsibilities. For instance, the U.S. focuses on Russia and much of Asia, while Canada is tasked with the polar regions of Russia.

As global threats have evolved, so too has the scope of the Five Eyes alliance, expanding to address issues like terrorism and China’s increasing influence. Member countries have voiced concerns regarding China’s treatment of the Uyghur population and its actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

To foster cooperation, the Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council (FIORC) was established in 2016 to facilitate communication on mutual interests and best practices among member nations.

‘Five Eyes’ alliance under scrutiny

However, the alliance has faced scrutiny over privacy, security, and operational methods, particularly following the 2013 revelations by Edward Snowden about mass surveillance programs. Critics, including the charity Privacy International, have raised concerns about the legal and democratic legitimacy of these intelligence-sharing arrangements, arguing that they often lack necessary oversight.

In 2013, a Canadian court criticized the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for misusing the alliance to monitor the communications of Canadian terror suspects, highlighting significant legal and ethical issues in the intelligence-sharing practices among these nations.

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