ASIS is the intelligence agency of?

The correct answer is Australia.
ASIS, which stands for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, is the national foreign intelligence agency of Australia. Much like the CIA in the United States or MI6 in the United Kingdom, ASIS is responsible for gathering intelligence from overseas and conducting counter-intelligence and liaison activities with foreign intelligence services.

History and "Secret" Status:

ASIS was established on May 13, 1952, under the government of Robert Menzies. Interestingly, the agency was so secretive that its very existence was not officially acknowledged by the Australian government for over 20 years. It was only in 1972 that its existence was publicly revealed, and it wasn't until the Intelligence Services Act 2001 that the agency was given a formal statutory basis.

Core Missions:

The primary goal of ASIS is to protect and promote Australia's vital interests through the provision of unique foreign intelligence services. Its main functions include:

• Human Intelligence (HUMINT): Recruiting and managing secret agents in foreign countries to collect information that cannot be obtained through open sources.


• Covert Operations: Conducting secret activities overseas as directed by the government.


• International Liaisons: Maintaining relationships with agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad to share global security data.

Oversight and Accountability:

ASIS is headquartered in Canberra (at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). It is a civilian agency and reports to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Because it operates in the shadows, it is strictly monitored by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) to ensure all operations remain within Australian law.