Who Is Gaurav Srivastava? How Indian-Origin Man Posed As CIA Agent To Win Indonesia’s Billion-Dollar Defence Deals

An Indian-origin businessman accused of falsely presenting himself as a CIA agent allegedly built close ties with Indonesia’s top leadership and secured preliminary defence agreements worth billions of dollars before the deals eventually fell through. A joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Indonesian publication Tempo claims Gaurav Srivastava cultivated a relationship with Indonesia’s current President Prabowo Subianto during his tenure as defence minister, winning access to senior officials and proposed military procurement projects. Srivastava, however, has denied ever pretending to be a CIA operative, calling the allegations “gross fabrications.”

How Gaurav Srivastava allegedly built influence with Indonesia’s top leadership

According to the reports, Gaurav Srivastava introduced himself to government officials and business leaders as a CIA agent. During this period, he reportedly became close to Prabowo Subianto, who is said to have nicknamed him “Mr G.”

Dutch oil trader Niels Troost told Tempo that he travelled with Gaurav Srivastava to Prabowo’s Garuda Yaksa residence in Hambalang, West Java, in mid-2022. Troost claimed Srivastava often said he stayed at the property and boasted that he had helped identify those behind the 2002 Bali bombings. He also allegedly claimed credit for helping remove Prabowo from a US immigration blacklist that had remained in place for nearly two decades over alleged human rights abuses during his military career. Troost further said Srivastava knew personal details about Prabowo, including his belief that spider webs inside his home should never be removed because they are part of nature.

How Gaurav Srivastava secured preliminary defence agreements

As per reports, the OCCRP-Tempo investigation says companies controlled by Gaurav Srivastava obtained five preliminary defence agreements between 2020 and 2022 from Indonesia’s Defence Ministry and a state-owned defence company. Three Letters of Intention to Purchase were issued in 2020, followed by another letter of intent and a memorandum of understanding over the next two years.

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 the Defence Ministry. Investigators also reviewed photographs showing Gaurav Srivastava attending signing ceremonies alongside Prabowo and executives from one of his companies. However, none of the proposed purchases were ultimately completed.

Questions over companies and legal disputes involving Gaurav Srivastava

As per reports, Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Sirait confirmed the preliminary agreements but stressed they carried no legal obligation. “The entire process of Indonesian defence cooperation and procurement is always carried out with utmost caution, prioritising the principles of good governance, national interest, and compliance with applicable mechanisms and regulations,” he said.

The investigation further alleged that the four companies controlled by Gaurav Srivastava were shell firms with no defence background and were later deregistered for failing to pay taxes. In 2022, the US approved a separate potential $13.9 billion sale of 36 F-15 fighter jets and related equipment to Indonesia, but the official announcement made no mention of Srivastava’s firms. The report also linked him to business dealings with Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Prabowo’s younger brother and chairman of the Arsari Group.

Civil lawsuits and Gaurav Srivastava’s denial of CIA allegations

The investigation says Gaurav Srivastava had already faced legal disputes in California before expanding into Indonesia. Troost has since filed civil lawsuits in California and the Southern District of New York, alleging that Srivastava falsely claimed to work for the CIA. The complaints include recorded phone calls in which he allegedly made those claims.

As per reports, Troost said he transferred a 50% stake in his company because he believed Srivastava had genuine intelligence connections, describing him in court documents as “a brazen con man of remarkable skill.” The complaint also alleges Srivastava arranged a $51 million loan to the Arsari Group by claiming it would finance a covert US government programme. Instead, Troost alleges nearly half the money was transferred to Srivastava, who used it to buy a $25 million mansion in Los Angeles before unsuccessfully seeking the remainder of the loan. Srivastava has denied falsely claiming to be a CIA agent and maintains the allegations are “gross fabrications.”

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