Outgoing R&AW chief PK Hormis Tharakan, who completed his tenure today, said the Intelligence Bureau and R&AW, the country’s two intelligence wings, had worked in close coordination during his stint, primarily because he and IB chief E S L Narsimhan were batchmates and close friends.

“The association between us is 38 years old. Narsimhan and we are batchmates,” Tharakan told The Indian Express. Tharakan added that the agency’s charter has now become wider and undertakes all kinds of counter-terrorism exercises along with the IB.

A 1968-batch IPS officer, Tharakan completed his two-year tenure at R&AW today. He was earlier the Director General of Police in Kerala.

“I am happy, the organisation is in good shape now. We have worked hard to plough the loopholes from the system and have at the same time introduced many new welfare schemes for the employees of our organisation. I am also thankful to the government for clearing all my proposals,” he added.

On the Kandahar hijack, Tharakan said: “It was a big setback, we have learnt a lot from that situation. We have spent a lot of time drawing up manual responses. The National Security Advisor’s guidance has been taken to formulate a counter-terrorism doctrine, which also includes an anti-hijack doctrine.”

When asked whether he was being considered for the deputy NSA’s job he said: “I have not received any communication so far.”

A K Chaturvedi will be the new R&AW chief.