J.C.S. Files
Note by the Secretaries of the Combined Chiefs of Staff1
C.C.S. 196/4
Intelligence and Quasi-Intelligence Activities in India
Reference: C.C.S. 117th Meeting, Item 72
The Combined Chiefs of Staff have approved the formation of a Combined Liaison Committee in India with British and American [Page 1241] representation. In addition to intelligence representatives, both air and ground, the U.S. representatives will include a “Rear Echelon” officer conversant with the American quasi-military and civilian activities (Office of Economic Warfare, Office of Strategic Services, Office of War Information, Federal Communications Commission, etc.).
The meetings of the committee will be at times and places which the committee finds requisite in order to enable information and views to be exchanged and problems referred to the committee to be discussed.
The committee will have the following purposes:
1. To facilitate combat intelligence, both air and ground, being exchanged between G.H.Q. and Rear Echelon in New Delhi.
2. To enable cooperation to be facilitated between the American Joint Intelligence Collection Agency now being organized in the theater, and the British Joint Intelligence Committee.
3. To facilitate the free exchange of information and coordination between the U.S. and British quasi-military agencies in India and the South East Asia Command.
There will be full and open discussion in the Combined Liaison Committee before any quasi-military activities involving operations in India or the South East Asia Theater are undertaken. However, before plans for such operations in these areas are put into effect by U.S. agencies, the concurrence of the Government of India, the Commander in Chief, India, or the Supreme Commander, South East Asia Theater, must be obtained as applicable. The U.S. authorities are to be kept fully informed of British plans and activities, and will be entitled to discuss them.
4. To constitute a central point through which the exchange of information from all these groups can be channelized, coordination arranged, and points of divergence ironed out.
It is also agreed that there will be a free interchange of intelligence on a cooperative basis. However, the intermixture of British and American intelligence staff officers is not agreed to, except those operating on a combined staff under a supreme commander. Arrangements regarding U.S.-British Intelligence activities will have to be coordinated with the needs of the new South East Asia Command.
J. R. Deane
Combined Secretariat