Policing The Republic: Inside View of How India Fights Corruption and Crime, and Protects Rights
In Policing the Republic, Yashovardhan Azad delivers a powerful and unflinching examination of Indian policing, corruption, criminalization of politics, terrorism, insurgency, intelligence operations, governance and national security
Bhopal: The book titled “Policing The Republic: Inside View of How India Fights Corruption and Crime, and Protects Rights”, which has been penned by Yashovardhan Azad, Former Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), will be formally launched on September 4th, 2026 in New Delhi.
The book is an insider's account of India's policing, intelligence system, national security challenges and democratic institutions from one of the country's most experienced law enforcement leaders.
Raised in the politically turbulent Bihar of the 1970s, a period marked by democratic movements, gang wars and caste militias — Yashovardhan Azad, son of freedom fighter, Union Minister and former Bihar Chief Minister Bhagwat Jha Azad, spent over four decades at the heart of India's law enforcement and intelligence establishment. From the dusty police stations of rural India to the highest corridors of power, his career offers a rare window into the institutions that shape the Republic.
In Policing the Republic, Yashovardhan Azad delivers a powerful and unflinching examination of Indian policing, corruption, criminalization of politics, terrorism, insurgency, intelligence operations, governance and national security.
Drawing on firsthand experience, he reveals how political interference, systemic corruption and institutional weaknesses have undermined justice and weakened the democratic ideals promised to India's citizens.
Also Read: Insider's Account: Why Indian Police is viewed as Brutal, Corrupt, Communal, Casteist
More than a memoir, this thought-provoking book is a compelling analysis of the structural challenges facing modern India. With clarity and authority, Azad explores the evolution of India's internal security landscape, examines the functioning of the police and intelligence agencies, and presents practical, policy-driven solutions for meaningful institutional reform.
Essential reading for civil services aspirants, UPSC candidates, policymakers, law enforcement professionals, political science students, historians, journalists, legal practitioners and readers interested in Indian politics, governance and public administration, Policing the Republic provides invaluable insight into how the Indian state functions and how it can be strengthened for the future.
The book is a rare insider's perspective on India's police, intelligence and security apparatus. It explores critical issues including corruption, political criminalization, terrorism, insurgency and governance. It offers practical reforms for building stronger democratic institutions and accountable policing.
The book is ideal for readers of Indian politics, public policy, law enforcement, governance, history and current affairs.
Meanwhile, the book’ foreword has been written by M. K. Narayanan, the former National Security Advisor of India. The book is published by Bloomsbury Publishing India Pvt. Ltd. and is priced at Rs.580/-. It is available on Amazon with free delivery from August 5th to 13th, 2026.
About the Author
Yashovardhan Azad is an Indian Police Service officer of the 1976 batch whose career took him from the mofussil districts of Madhya Pradesh to the highest offices of India’s national security establishment. As special director of the Intelligence Bureau, he worked at the intersection of counter-terrorism and strategic risk, carrying out assignments across Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
In 2004, he was also a part of a sensitive mission to Pakistan to assess ground risks to an Indian cricket tour after fifteen years – a tour conceived in the spirit of political détente, and one that he helped make possible. He was the national security coordinator for the visits of high-risk dignitaries such as US President Bill Clinton, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Pope to India. Later, as Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, he became the nation’s pre-eminent security official, supervising the prime minister’s protection.
He was also a member of the International Security Advisory Team for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. After retirement, he served as central information commissioner, delivering over 8,000 judgments under the Right to Information Act. He is a recipient of the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
A widely read columnist, sought-after public speaker and familiar television voice on matters of security, governance and public policy, Yashovardhan Azad lives in New Delhi and is currently a member of the governing council of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.
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