The recent India-Canada standoff, fueled by allegations of Indian government involvement in the assassination of a separatist leader on Canadian soil, has drawn attention to the Five Eyes Alliance. This intelligence-sharing partnership includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The alliance originated during World War II, initially known as the BRUSA agreement, as a means of sharing intelligence after breaking German and Japanese codes. Over the years, it evolved into the UKUSA agreement, with Canada joining in 1949, followed by New Zealand and Australia in 1956. The Five Eyes nations collaborate closely to protect their mutual national interests.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Five Eyes Alliance: An intelligence-sharing partnership between five countries (USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) that collaborate closely on intelligence matters to safeguard their shared national interests.
- Standoff: A confrontation or dispute between two or more parties characterized by a refusal to compromise or back down.
- Intelligence-sharing: The practice of exchanging classified information and intelligence data among allied nations for security and strategic purposes.
- BRUSA Agreement: The original agreement during World War II between the UK and the USA to share intelligence, which laid the foundation for the Five Eyes Alliance.
- UKUSA Agreement: The evolved form of the BRUSA Agreement, expanded to include Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, creating the modern Five Eyes Alliance.
