Why British Asians should consider a career in intelligence

The diplomatic and intelligence services offer rewarding careers for people from all backgrounds.

‘How could you work for these people? Do you not remember what they did to us?’

This was the reaction from some people when I announced that I was joining the British Diplomatic Service in 2002. The ones who knew what diplomacy was questioned my loyalties and wondered whether someone with an Indian background was even allowed to apply. There was an unspoken belief that this was a career for ‘them’ and not for ‘us’.

I don’t ever remember discussing a career in the government with my family or friends. Looking back, the career conversations around our dinner table were fairly narrow – dentistry, medicine, accountancy or law. We certainly didn’t discuss working in the Diplomatic or Intelligence Services. I don’t even remember them being mentioned at school.

Yet, after nearly 16 years in government, the last three as a Senior Intelligence Officer at GCHQ – the UK’s Signals Intelligence Agency – I can say with no hesitation that I could not have been happier with the choices I have made. It has been a privilege to serve in the Foreign Office and in GCHQ, and to play a small part in promoting our values and protecting the UK.

I feel that I am in a unique position to talk about why the Foreign Office and the Intelligence Services should be more appealing to people from a minority background and what we should be doing to encourage more people to break the mould.

For me, a diverse Diplomatic Service, drawing on our Commonwealth heritage, gives us unparalleled advantages in safeguarding the UK’s security and building our prosperity. I have seen for myself on postings to Iraq, Uganda and Malaysia that my Indian background has enabled me to develop unique, influential relationships. My colleagues from other ethnic backgrounds say similar things. Of course, I have also occasionally experienced prejudice but more often than not my heritage has opened, rather than closed, doors.