How Indian-Origin Bizman 'Posed' As CIA Agent To Chase Billion-Dollar Defence Deals In Indonesia

Published 6 July 2026 · india

How Indian-Origin Bizman 'Posed' As CIA Agent To Chase Billion-Dollar Defence Deals In Indonesia Published By, Last Updated: July 06, 2026, 23:30 IST Srivastava used

How Indian-Origin Bizman 'Posed' As CIA Agent To Chase Billion-Dollar Defence Deals In Indonesia Published By, Last Updated: July 06, 2026, 23:30 IST Srivastava used those claims to gain access to senior Indonesian officials and cultivated close ties with then-defence minister Subianto, who now serves as Indonesia's president. Rapid Read Lawsuits claim Gaurav Srivastava leveraged his purported CIA identity to cultivate ties with Indonesia's political and defence establishment. (IMAGE: X) Indian-origin businessman Gaurav Srivastava has been accused of posing as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative and cultivating ties with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in a bid to secure multibillion-dollar defence deals. The proposed agreements involved fighter jets and other military equipment. The allegations were detailed in an Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) investigation, cited by the Times of India. The allegations stem from civil lawsuits filed by Srivastava’s former business partner, Niels Troost, in California and the Southern District of New York. Troost claims the alleged scheme began with Srivastava saying in recorded phone calls that he worked for the CIA.

According to the complaints, Srivastava used those claims to gain access to senior Indonesian officials and cultivated close ties with then-defence minister Prabowo Subianto, who now serves as Indonesia’s president. Troost further alleges that Srivastava accompanied Subianto to high-level meetings in Washington, DC, and Jakarta in 2020 where military procurement was discussed. That year, Srivastava allegedly secured three letters of intent outlining Indonesia’s proposed purchase of fighter jets and other military equipment. Over the next two years, he obtained another letter of intent and a memorandum of understanding covering two additional defence procurement arrangements. However, none of the proposed agreements ultimately resulted in purchases by the Indonesian government, the OCCRP report said. Between 2020 and 2022, four companies controlled by Srivastava secured five preliminary defence agreements with Indonesia’s defence ministry and a state-owned defence company. During this period, he was photographed alongside Prabowo and company executives at a signing ceremony, with one of the agreements later announced publicly at a press conference. The proposed procurements included 36 F-15 fighter jets, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, C-130 transport aircraft and a joint operations command and control centre for Indonesia’s defence ministry.