The Indian government is said to have received a shipment containing hardware that resembles equipment used in the deployment of Pegasus, according to an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The investigation revealed that India’s principal intelligence agency, Intelligence Bureau, purchased the hardware in April 2017 from the NSO Group— an Israeli company which owns the spyware. OCCRP’s findings were verified independently by Entrackr*. The report revealed that they were able to verify the findings through another source of Indian trade data. Why it matters: The Indian government has remained tight-lipped about its involvement with Pegasus which was alleged to have been used illegally by it against citizens in 2021. The findings cast doubts over the veracity of denials issued by the Indian government which has dismissed every charge against them. It also backs the claim made by an NYT investigation earlier this year that India has been in possession of the spyware for over four years after signing an arms deal with Israel. Which documents did OCCRP rely upon: The reporters wrote that their revelations are based on details gleaned from import documents, specifically a bill of lading procured from a global trade data platform which relies on national customs documents. What was there in the shipment: The shipment was marked “for Defence and Military Use” and cost $315,000, the report said. The consignment, delivered by air, included the following— Dell computer servers, Cisco network equipment, Uninterruptible power supply batteries Is it conclusive: The report…
