Visakhapatnam spy case highlights growing 'honey-trap' security threat

Defence and security officials have expressed growing alarm over a series of espionage cases allegedly involving honeytrap operations targeting military and defence research personnel across the country. The Visakhapatnam case has drawn fresh attention to vulnerabilities within India's defence establishment, where operatives have been accused of exploiting personal relationships to extract classified information.

The pattern of such cases has expanded beyond active-duty naval and air force personnel to include civilian scientists working in defence research organisations. In May, a serving Indian Air Force Wing Commander was arrested in Delhi on allegations of sharing sensitive defence materials and classified documents with a Person of Indian Origin (PIO), according to defence sources.

Authorities have identified honeytrap operations as a primary method used by foreign intelligence agencies to compromise defence officials. The tactic typically involves establishing intimate relationships with target individuals to manipulate them into divulging state secrets or providing access to restricted documents and communications.

The multiple arrests across different branches of the armed forces and civilian defence research establishments suggest a coordinated or opportunistic campaign against Indian defence interests. Security agencies have indicated they are intensifying counterintelligence operations and implementing stricter vetting procedures for personnel with access to classified information.