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Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW): Inside India’s Foreign Intelligence Agency

• April 27, 2024

1. Introduction to RAW

Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is one of the key intelligence agencies in India . The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) stands as one of India’s key intelligence agencies. It initially focused primarily on China and Pakistan , but over the past forty years, it has expanded its mandate, significantly bolstering India’s global influence. RAW’s primary responsibility is to provide the government with strategic and comprehensive information to facilitate challenging decision-making. Collaborating with numerous intelligence services globally, such as the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, RAW actively plans, executes, and exchanges intelligence.

2. Organisation

2.1 structure .

The Prime Minister of India directly oversees RAW through its director. Assisting the director is a deputy director and other senior officers responsible for overseeing various operational units and departments. RAW divides its operational sections based on specialisation and area of competence. The primary divisions of RAW are:

• External Intelligence : This section is in charge of compiling and analysing data that originates from sources outside of India.
• Technical Support Division : This division seeks to collect and process intelligence through the use of technology. Furthermore, it offers technical assistance to other RAW departments.
• Aviation Research Centre : This division manages a fleet of aircraft and conducting aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
• Joint Intelligence Committee : The Joint Intelligence Committee coordinates all Indian intelligence institutions’.
• Operations : The department bears the responsibility of planning and executing covert operations to fulfil India’s national security goals.

Besides these divisions, RAW comprises several other operational units. An example is special teams, a highly competent group of individuals conducting clandestine operations. RAW accepts applications from both military and civilian organisations in India.

In the end, the primary goals of RAW’s operational structure include gathering outside intelligence, carrying out covert activities, and advising the government on matters pertaining to national security. Thus, to safeguard India’s security interests, all of RAW’s sub departments convene and address threats to the country’s issues. [ source ].

2.2  Ranks 

There are many types of ranks in RAW, and each rank has its own importance. According to the post, the officer has many responsibilities.

2.2.1 Class I/Group A Officer

• 1. Secretary/Additional Secretary (R)
• 2. Joint Secretary
• 3. Director/Deputy Secretary/Attach

2.2.3 Group A Officer

• 1. Senior Field Officer
• 2. Field Officer
• 3. Sub Area Officer
• 4. Assistant Field Officer 

2.3  Job Profile of RAW Agent

A RAW agent’s duties include keeping tabs on military and political developments in the nations surrounding India. In essence, RAW agents in India have the principal duties and roles outlined below:

• 1. Gathering foreign intelligence
• 2. Conducting anti-terrorism operations
• 3. Advising policymakers in the country
• 4. Counter-propagation
• 5. Securing the country’s nuclear program [ source ].

2.4 Recruiting

In India, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) hires personnel from a variety of government agencies, armed forces, intelligence services, police departments, and administrative services, among others. However, this does not imply that these services are the only ones available for choosing in RAW. 

It takes a significant amount of professional experience, besides strong educational credentials to become a RAW agent. Joining India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is an extremely tough task. Candidates aspiring to join this esteemed organisation must maintain good physical and mental health to qualify. Additionally, they need to possess a graduating degree from a recognized institution or organisation to be eligible for job opportunities at RAW. The candidate must be proficient in at least one foreign language. Indeed, applicants should be proficient communicators with a keen recall. In addition, the candidates must be younger than 56 years old. In addition, the applicant ought to have over 20 years of service experience, a citizen of India and no criminal history or an active court case. Otherwise, they will not be qualified to work as a RAW agent

2.4.1 RAW Selection

RAW frequently selects talented applicants who have passed the UPSC Civil Services Test and opted to become IPS and IFS officials to serve as RAW officers. Only after completing the foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration does a government servant become eligible for selection in RAW.

The instructors administer a psychological exam and conduct a raw interview at the end of the course. Those that make the shortlist begin a one-year internship at RAW. Appropriate people are recruited by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the Indian civil services, which include the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other related services. Given that, the UPSC Civil Services Test is divided into three phases. UPSC Mains and Personality Test, UPSC Interview, and UPSC Preliminary Examination [ source ].

3.0  RAW Operational Information

3.1 foreign intelligence.

RAW supports numerous significant operations on foreign land with intelligence. It collaborates closely with intelligence agencies in India, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Through both overt and covert missions, the agency gathers military, economic, scientific, and political intelligence. Additionally, it keeps an eye on gangs involved in importing weapons and ammunition into India and terrorist groups. The primary focus of RAW is India’s neighbors. Additionally, RAW also provides Indian officials with gathered information, which they then utilize to modify the country’s foreign and national security policies. [ source ].

3.2  Achievements of RAW 

Over the years, the leading foreign intelligence agency in India, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has been instrumental in numerous noteworthy accomplishments. Among its notable accomplishments are:

• Role in the creation of Bangladesh : Early in the 1970s, RAW played a significant role in supporting the Bangladeshi independence movement against Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. [ source ].
• Strategic Intelligence in Kargil War : RAW gave crucial intelligence regarding the opponent’s military coordinates, position, force size, etc. during the 1999 Kargil conflict. This aided the Indian Army in organizing and hitting the military locations of the adversary. [ source ].
• Pakistan’s Nuclear Programme : In the 1980s, Pakistan was developing a nuclear program that posed a major threat to the Indian government. RAW was instrumental in providing intelligence about this program, which finally led to Pakistan’s arrest. Other nations put pressure on them to cease their nuclear activities. [ source ].
• Surgical Strike : Numerous Indian troops were killed when Pakistan assaulted India’s Uri military camp in 2016. The counterattack was skillfully orchestrated and executed by the Indian Army. The RAW agency supplied details regarding the enemy’s personnel, positions, and other aspects [ source ].
• Balakot Airstrike : 2019 saw attacks on Indian Army soldiers in Pulwama. RAW assisted in organizing and carrying out the 2019 Balakot Airstrike as a counterattack. The bombing resulted in the destruction of a terrorist training facility in Pakistan, causing significant damage and deaths. [ source ].
• RAW has been instrumental in a number of noteworthy achievements that have significantly impacted India’s national security. It made significant contributions to the Kargil War, the Bangladeshi independence movement, and the discovery of Pakistan’s nuclear program, to name a few. RAW is still needed to conduct clandestine operations, get outside intelligence, and counsel the government on matters pertaining to national security.

4.0 Recent Operations

4.1  ‘the print’ article on raw .

The Delhi High Court denied a request asking the Central Government to order the publication of an article on Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) by the digital news site “The Print” to be blocked. In essence, it stated that publication encompasses both the right to know and elements of press freedom. 

The appeal of lawyer Raghav Awasthi to establish norms prohibiting media outlets from publishing any source-based speculation regarding the whereabouts of government officials or diplomats sent overseas was denied by a division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora. employed by an Indian spy agency.

The Print released the contentious piece on 30 November of last year. The article is titled “Nijjar-Pannun effect: RAW closes doors in North America for the first time since founding in 1968.” According to Awasthi, the report jeopardises the careers of the officers it mentions because they are now stigmatised as intelligence officers and therefore cannot serve for any other Indian mission [ source ].

The Government of India keeps the right, under applicable law, to take action against any magazine or to remove any article which, in its opinion, compromises national security. “In the prima facie opinion of this Court, the impugned article does not compromise the career of the officers, or cause any physical harm to the lives of their family members.” It stated that intelligence matters and the relationship between the Indian government and foreign governments should be handled extremely cautiously and that the Central Government does not need any advisory support from Awasthi. [ source ].

4.2  Canadian Sikh Leader’s Killing Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

In the midst of the escalating diplomatic crisis between India and Canada after New Delhi accused him of assassination, the death of a Sikh leader with Canadian citizenship on 18 J2023, close to Vancouver, western Canada, where a large number of Sikhs reside, highlights the growing work of the Indian intelligence agency and its reliance on expanding its network in the West under the rule of Narendra Modi.

The Canadian government announced the expulsion of an Indian diplomat it claimed was engaged in the assassination, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the death of Hardeep Singh Nigar.

Rejecting these charges, New Delhi stated that terrorists and extremists who it said threatened India’s security are given sanctuary in Canada.

According to R. said K. Yadav’s memoirs, India’s foreign intelligence agency “transformed into a bold organization, capable of carrying out its operations across the globe to protect the interests of Indian citizens.” Yadav was an officer in the agency for nearly forty years [ source ].

4.3 Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan

There has been a notable increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The most recent incident was a suicide bombing on 29 September 2022, which targeted a religious gathering in the Mastung area of Balochistan province, southwest Pakistan, during the Prophet’s Mohamed Birthday celebration. The attack claimed the lives of sixty people. Numerous people suffered injuries.

A few hours later, another explosion rocked a mosque during Friday prayers in the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, northwest Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and injuries to twelve others.

Although no one has yet claimed responsibility for the two most recent attacks, Pakistan’s Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti alleges Indian involvement in the Balochistani attack. In Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, he briefed reporters, implicating the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of the Indian Intelligence Agency in the recent terrorist attacks in the Karachi region, located in the south of the country. [ source ].

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) stands as a crucial pillar in India’s intelligence infrastructure, dedicated to providing strategic intelligence crucial for national security decision-making. Moreover, its structured organisational setup, comprising various departments and operational units, underscores its multifaceted approach towards gathering external intelligence and executing covert operations. Notably, RAW’s achievements, spanning from its pivotal role in the creation of Bangladesh to its contributions during conflicts like the Kargil War and operations against terrorism, highlight its significant impact on India’s security landscape.

Recruitment into RAW demands stringent criteria, including educational qualifications, experience, and expertise in foreign languages, thereby ensuring a highly skilled and capable workforce. Furthermore, collaboration with other intelligence agencies and governmental bodies, coupled with its proactive stance in gathering intelligence, serves to strengthen India’s defence and policy-making capabilities.

However, recent events, such as the diplomatic tensions following accusations of RAW involvement in incidents abroad and the escalating terrorist attacks in neighbouring Pakistan , underscore the ongoing challenges and complexities faced by intelligence agencies in maintaining regional stability and safeguarding national interests.

As the geopolitical landscape evolves, RAW’s adaptability and effectiveness in addressing emerging threats while upholding principles of transparency and accountability will remain paramount. Moreover, collaborative efforts, both domestically and internationally, are essential to counteract evolving security challenges effectively. Therefore, RAW’s continued commitment to excellence and innovation will be instrumental in shaping India’s security paradigm in the years to come.

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RAW: India’s External Intelligence Agency

India’s primary espionage agency and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have long been at odds in a long-standing battle for influence.

Backgrounder by Jayshree Bajoria

November 7, 2008 1:59 pm (EST)

Introduction

India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has long faced allegations of meddling in its neighbors’ affairs. Founded in 1968, primarily to counter China’s influence, over time it has shifted its focus to India’s other traditional rival, Pakistan. RAW and Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) , have been engaged in covert operations against one other for over three decades. The ongoing dispute in Kashmir continues to fuel these clashes, but experts say Afghanistan may be emerging as the new battleground. Islamabad sees India’s growing diplomatic initiatives in Afghanistan as a cover for RAW agents working to destabilize Pakistan. It accuses RAW of training and arming separatists in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province along the Afghan border. RAW denies these charges, and in turn, accuses the ISI of the July 2008 bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul.

The History of RAW

Until 1968, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which is responsible for India’s internal intelligence, also handled external intelligence. But after India’s miserable performance in a 1962 border war with China, the need for a separate external intelligence agency was clear. During that conflict, “our intelligence failed to detect Chinese build up for the attack,” writes Maj. Gen. VK Singh, a retired army officer who did a stint in RAW, in his 2007 book, India’s External Intelligence: Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing .

Intelligence

As a result, India established a dedicated external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing. Founded mainly to focus on China and Pakistan, over the last forty years the organization has expanded its mandate and is credited with greatly increasing India’s influence abroad. Experts say RAW’s powers and its role in India’s foreign policy have varied under different prime ministers. RAW claims that it contributed to several foreign policy successes:

• the creation of Bangladesh in 1971;
• India’s growing influence in Afghanistan;
• the northeast state of Sikkim’s accession to India in 1975;
• the security of India’s nuclear program;
• the success of African liberation movements during the Cold War.

Over the last forty years the organization has expanded its mandate and is credited with increasing India’s influence.

RAW’s first leader, Rameshwar Nath Kao, led the agency until he retired in 1977. Many experts, including officers who worked with him, credit Kao with RAW’s initial successes: India’s triumph in the 1971 war with Pakistan, and India’s covert assistance to the African National Congress’s anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. “To a large extent, it was Kao who raised RAW to the level of India’s premier intelligence agency, with agents in virtually every major embassy and high commission,” writes Singh. But the organization has been criticized for its lack of coordination with domestic intelligence and security agencies, weak analytical capabilities, and complete lack of transparency.

The Structure and Function of RAW

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Not much is known regarding the structure of RAW, say experts. The organization started with 250 people and about $400,000. It has since expanded to several thousand personnel, but its staffing and budget remain secret. However, an estimate by the U.S.-based Federation of American Scientists suggests that in 2000, RAW had about eight to ten thousand agents and a budget that experts place at $145 million . Unlike the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Britain’s MI6, RAW reports directly to the prime minister instead of the Ministry of Defense. The chief of RAW is designated secretary (research) in the Cabinet Secretariat, which is part of the prime minister’s office. Some officers of RAW are members of a specialized service, the Research and Analysis Service, but several officers also serve on deputation from other services such as the Indian Police Service.

RAW had two priorities after its formation, writes B. Raman, a former RAW official, in the 2007 book, The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane . The organization worked to strengthen its capability for intelligence gathering on Pakistan and China and for covert action in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Some experts say that RAW’s efforts in East Pakistan, which was created from the partition of the Indian state of Bengal and completely separated from the rest of Pakistan, was aimed at fomenting independence sentiment. Over time, RAW’s objectives have broadened to include:

• monitoring the political and military developments in adjoining countries, which have direct bearing on India’s national security and in the formulation of its foreign policy.
• seeking the control and limitation of the supply of military hardware to Pakistan, mostly from European countries, the United States, and China.

Experts disagree on the amount of influence RAW asserts on India’s foreign policy. Sumit Ganguly , a professor of political science at Indiana University, says the agency has no influence on foreign policy. However, Dipankar Banerjee , a retired army official and founding director of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, a New Delhi-based think tank, says the head of RAW has direct access to the head of state, to whom he provides input and analysis.

From the early days, RAW had a secret liaison relationship with the Mossad, Israel’s external intelligence agency. The main purpose was to benefit from Israel’s knowledge of West Asia and North Africa, and to learn from its counterterrorism techniques, say experts.

RAW’s Role in Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka

RAW played a significant role in the formation of Bangladesh along with the Indian army and other Indian security and intelligence agencies. Besides providing intelligence to policymakers and the army, RAW trained and armed Mukti Bahini, a group of East Pakistanis fighting for the separate state of Bangladesh. Analysts say that RAW also facilitated the northeastern state of Sikkim’s accession to India in 1975, and provided military assistance to groups hostile to the pro-China regime in Myanmar, such as the Kachin Independence Army.

It was the support for the Tamil separatist group that brought RAW much criticism from human rights organizations.

But it was the support for the Tamil separatist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka, that brought RAW much criticism from human rights organizations. RAW helped train and arm the LTTE in the 1970s, but after the group’s terrorist activities grew in the 1980s—including its alliances with separatist groups in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu—RAW withdrew this support. In 1987, New Delhi made a pact with the Sri Lankan government to send peacekeeping troops to the island, and Indian forces ended up fighting the group RAW had armed. In 1991, Rajiv Gandhi, prime minister of India at the time of the peacekeeping force deployment, was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber.

Covert Action in Afghanistan and Pakistan

In retaliation, in the mid-1980s, RAW set up two covert groups of its own, Counter Intelligence Team-X (CIT-X) and Counter Intelligence Team-J (CIT-J), the first targeting Pakistan in general and the second directed at Khalistani groups. The two groups were responsible for carrying out terrorist operations inside Pakistan, writes Pakistani military expert Ayesha Siddiqa . Indian journalist  Praveen Swami  writes that a “low-grade but steady campaign of bombings in major Pakistani cities, notably Karachi and Lahore” was carried out. This forced the head of ISI to meet his counterpart in RAW and agree on the rules of engagement as far as Punjab was concerned, writes Siddiqa. The negotiation was brokered by then-Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan bin-Talal, whose wife, Princess Sarvath, is of Pakistani origin. “It was agreed that Pakistan would not carry out activities in the Punjab as long as RAW refrained from creating mayhem and violence inside Pakistan,” Siddiqa writes.

In the past, Pakistan also accused RAW of supporting Sindhi nationalists demanding a separate state, as well as Seraikis calling for a partition of Pakistan’s Punjab to create a separate Seraiki state. India denies these charges. However, experts point out that India has supported insurgents in Pakistan’s Balochistan, as well as anti-Pakistan forces in Afghanistan. But some experts say India no longer does this. As this Backgrounder explains, Pakistan is suspicious of India’s influence in Afghanistan, which it views as a threat to its own interests in the region. Experts say although it is very likely that India has active intelligence gathering in Afghanistan, it is difficult to say whether it is also involved in covert operations.

Relations With the CIA

The CIA assisted in the creation of RAW, says South Asia expert Stephen P. Cohen of the Brookings Institution. However, India’s intelligence relations with the CIA started even before the existence of RAW, note experts. After India’s war with China in 1962, CIA instructors trained Establishment 22, a “covert organisation raised from among Tibetan refugees in India, to execute deep-penetration terror operations in China,” wrote Swami.

But the CIA’s operations with the ISI to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s made RAW very wary. However, it did not stop RAW from seeking the CIA’s assistance in counterterrorism training. Raman writes: “One had one more bizarre example of how international intelligence cooperation works.” The CIA trained the officers of the ISI in the use of terrorism against an adversary, and at the same time, he writes, it trained RAW and IB officers “in some of the techniques of countering that terrorism." India’s intelligence agencies also feel the lack of an equal relationship with the CIA, say experts. Swami says RAW’s grievance is that they get little information on Pakistan from the United States; however, Washington expects New Delhi to provide it with intelligence on Afghanistan.

In 1997, Prime Minister I.K. Gujral shut down both the CITs aimed at Pakistan on moral grounds. Before Gujral, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had ended RAW’s eastern operations in the early 1990s, as part of his efforts to build bridges with China and Myanmar, say analysts.

Successive RAW leaders attempted to gain fresh authorization for deterrent covert operations, but without success, says Swami. Siddiqa wrote: “The Indian government probably realized that encouraging covert warfare would not only destabilize bilateral relations but was also dangerous for the peace and stability of the entire region.”

Weaknesses in RAW

The intrusion of Pakistan-backed armed forces into the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999 prompted questions about RAW’s efficacy. Some analysts saw the conflict as an intelligence failure. However, RAW officials argued they had provided the intelligence but political leadership had failed to act upon it. The Indian government formed a committee to look into the failure and recommend remedial measures. The report of the Kargil review committee was then examined by a group of ministers, established in 2000. The group recommended a formal written charter and pointed out lack of coordination and communication within various intelligence agencies.

Following the review, a new organization was set up: the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO)—modeled on the U.S. National Security Agency—which would be the repository of the nation’s technical intelligence-spy satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and spy planes. The government also decided to create a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), whose head would be the advisor to the Chief of Staffs Committee and the defense minister. The DIA was empowered to conduct transborder operations.

However, the shakeup of the intelligence apparatus has not removed some problems, especially relating to the overlap of agency activities, say experts. Earlier, RAW was the only organization permitted to conduct espionage operations abroad. Now, both the IB and DIA have the authority to conduct such operations, writes Singh.

There have also been occasional media reports of penetration inside RAW by other agencies, in particular the CIA. Swami writes that RAW is exceptional amongst major spy agencies in maintaining no permanent distinction between covert operatives who execute secret tasks, and personnel who must liaise with services such as the CIA or public bodies, such as analysts and area specialists. “As a result, personnel with sensitive operational information are exposed to potentially compromising contacts,” he writes.

This Congressional Research Report outlines the history and objectives of the Indian government’s Research and Analysis Wing.

CFR’s Pakistan Crisis Guide delves into the country’s regional security conflicts.

Global Security provides a general history of the agency’s activities in this article .

V.K. Singh’s 2007 book India’s External Intelligence: Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)  gives first-hand insight into the agency.

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How RN Kao and his team created India’s espionage playbook through the Research & Analysis Wing

An excerpt from ‘the war that made r&aw’, by anusha nandakumar and sandeep saket..

The birth of R&AW resembled the completion of a complex puzzle. The core team [Rameshwar Nath] Kao gathered around him had painstakingly helped him bring it together. Sankaran Nair, MBK Nair, IS Hassanwalia and PN Banerjee were some of his frontmen.

One of the rules that Kao had insisted upon during the formation of the agency was that nothing be written down.

Even the status reports prepared for the prime minister would be typed out based on memory, and the document would be hand-delivered to Gandhi by Kao himself. The rule was implicit – no copies, no rough notes, no trail.

Hence, when Kao called for a meeting with his core team, the visual was contrary to the popular image of a meeting between high-ranking Intelligence officers. There were no large boards with writing all over them, no notepads strewn on the table, and no files stacked on top of each other. It was just the spies and the spymaster, discussing strategy.

“Knowledge is power,” Kao said in one of the early meetings, addressing the core team assembled in front of him. “and the proverb holds true for Intelligence agencies more than any other entity. Where the IB failed, we have to succeed.”

The one thing that the new agency absolutely could not afford was to become a cheap knock-off of the IB.

“Unlike the IB, R&AW will dedicate time to asset building,” declared Kao.

Agents and on-ground informers are the assets of an Intelligence agency. They eventually become windows into foreign and enemy territories. HUMINT (human intelligence) is of utmost importance, Kao stressed. A spy would be able to gather information, interpret it in terms of threat perception and transmit it back home in a way that no machine or device – however technologically advanced – ever could.

The days of slipping currency notes to poor villagers living along the border in exchange for information were fast fading away, for the simple reason that those methods could not penetrate deep into enemy territory. The R&AW would rely heavily on the presence of foot soldiers or agents on the ground.

These soldiers would deal not in blood and bone but in knowledge. Every titbit, every scrap of information picked up from the ground, would be another brick in the edifice of national Intelligence.

At R&AW, it would be imperative for anyone joining the team to unlearn what they already knew. The Intelligence game that Kao had in mind was unlike any that had been played in the country before. The risks involved were going to be tremendous, the stakes sky-high.

For a spy, it was not just the potential risk of losing one’s life that was involved. It was also a question of giving up one’s identity completely. It was a selfless and instinctive game, played for the love of one’s motherland.

And the man who played it best was sitting in that room with Kao – Sankaran Nair.

Operationally, no one in the organisation could match Sankaran Nair. He had been given charge of the West Pakistan desk in R&AW, and had years of experience working the Pakistan desk at the IB. He also commanded much respect abroad, in the shadowy international world of spooks.

Sankaran Nair was a man with multiple aliases. He loved the thrill of clandestine operations on the ground. He had mastered the art of reconnoitre and making contacts. He was adept in the infiltration and exfiltration of field agents. He knew how to run agents without even meeting them.

There were rumours that Nair had an asset who was highly placed in the Pakistani administration. However, no one could know for sure.

R&AW’s first recruits would be operating in neighbouring countries under the cover of Indian embassies. Foreign Secretary T.N. Kaul was to create new jobs at various embassies. The ultimate goal was to have Indian agents set up and run their own networks of informers, moles or operatives overseas.

“Phase 1 would be information gathering or COMINT – communications intelligence. The technology, the foot soldiers and the agents will all contribute to that,” Kao said. “But the hard work does not end there. We would need a capable team to decipher and analyse all the information coming through.”

Kao told his men that he envisioned a large team consisting of financial and economic analysts, scientists in space technology, as well as agents working on information security and energy security.

“Do not forget Dr Phadke,” MBK. Nair chipped in. Brig Nair had chalked out a network of wireless connections in every part of the world with the help of his assistant Dr Phadke. He would liaise with the Cryptography Division, headed by a cryptography expert who had been transferred to R&AW from the IB.

Brig Nair spoke about his plans. “We will train foreign Intelligence recruits in wire-tapping via wireless or telephone using a bug. With this method, we hope our agents will be able to infiltrate and obtain information from Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Southeast Asia, and Africa.”

Hassanwalia was curious. “And how will they communicate with us?”

“Morse code,” Brig Nair replied. “Needless to say, this is very risky and will have to be done in absolute secrecy.” He even joked, “If we can organise a team of operators who speak Tamil and Malayalam, we can communicate via open channels in those languages and no one will know.”

The men in the room burst into hearty laughter.

Apart from the technical and operational details, Kao had something else in mind that he believed would complement the agency’s information-gathering strategies.

“Psy-war?” Banerjee asked, curious.

“Psy-ops,” Kao said. “Psychological operations.” He looked at Banerjee and said with a smile, “Psychological warfare is essentially information management. With the leeway that the prime minister has given us, we will be able to handle the information that comes in and manipulate and share only what we want with the media. We can ensure that the international spotlight is drawn to topics in favour of the country.”

While the information network would secure India’s position in the world dynamics, Kao had also planned to tap into the excellent rapport he had built with his counterparts in various other countries over the years. Mossad could open doors for them with information about West Asia and North Africa. The KGB – the main security agency for the Soviet Union – could help with the supply of arms and ammunition for operations.

The CIA too could be of help. Kao’s relationship with the CIA had developed after India’s war with China in 1962. CIA instructors had trained the SFF, or the secret and elite commando training programme for Tibetan refugees in India, designed to fight the Chinese Army in Tibet. A sizeable portion of the special force consisted of Tibetan rebels.

The CIA and Kao discussed the possibility of SFF operating as R&AW’s paramilitary unit and being intimately incorporated in the agency’s plans. The SFF had since been transferred to R&AW and was now working on the eastern borders of India. Its commando forces were agile and able, and completely at the disposal of R&AW.

The wheels of R&AW were thus set in motion. A rough training module had been finalised. The criteria to look out for in potential recruits had been drawn up. Red flags when screening candidates were listed out. Safe houses to conduct the training of the recruits were identified. Nothing was recorded in writing. Everything was memorised.

Four Including a Senior Pak Army Officer Kidnapped by TTP in DI Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Bihar sunni waqf board claims ownership of an entire village consisting 95% hindus; later fails to give proof in court, from easy access to credit to empowering women: pm modi highlights how fintech has transformed india, india at paralympics 2024: india is set to clinch medals and to wave the tricolour 360°, amid ongoing unrest in kerala, malayalam film industry to form panel for the safety of artistes, a war in shadows: the ‘covert operations’ of the research and analysis wing (raw).

India, due to the changing geopolitics, is perpetually at a war in the shadows; thus, peace here is an illusion. As the soldiers in uniform, guard our borders, on all three fronts: Water, Air and Land; A group of highly trained and motivated soldiers patrol the globe under disguise and code names, to gather information, activate sleeper spies and double agents, set honey traps, and bribe the informants – all for protecting our beloved country, India.

These unseen, unsung heroes are the spies of India’s formidable spy agency: ‘Research and Analysis Wing’ (RAW). Theoretically, RAW is India’s external intelligence agency, placed to uncover sinister plans against the nation and to eliminate the traitors at great personal risk but practically, its operational reach and remit are unlimited, the agency has a massive budget. The RAW was intentionally established as a ‘wing’ to bypass the agency reporting requirements to Parliament and thus is also exempted from the Right to Information Act of 2005.

Working undercover across the globe, the contacts and the chase; Working with India’s premier intelligence agency is such an Adrenaline pumping occupation. Let’s explore this Intelligence unit inside-out, through its genesis, covert operations and see if it’s worth it all.

‘Declassified’ RAW Operations: A truly epic tale to tell

• Operation Smiling Buddha

Smiling Buddha, the code name which was chosen for India’s first nuclear programme designated as Pokhran-1 in May 1974, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi. At a first, RAW was getting involved in a project inside India. The task was to keep the entire operation under wraps from the CIA.

Finally, on May 18th, India successfully tested the 15-kiloton of plutonium device at Pokhran and became a member of the elite group of nuclear-ready nations. With this feat, outside the five permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members, India became the first country to conduct a nuclear test. The operation was carried out without any critical hindrance and with such precision that the intelligence agencies across globe were taken by surprise.

After the test, Dr Raja Ramanna (the then director of India’s premier nuclear research institute Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) called the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and told her, “The Buddha has smiled”.

• Operation Kahuta

RAW got to know about Pakistan’s nuclear programmes at Khan Research Laboratories in a small town called Kahuta, which also is was an emerging centre of its long-range missile development, in the Rawalpindi district.

By analysing the hair samples from the barber shops nearby, RAW figured out the isntallation of gas centrifuge enrichment technology to produce Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU). RAW started operation Kahuta to infiltrate Pakistan’s nuclear energy installations, and this could have been a huge success on intelligence front but it went horribly wrong.

It is said that once during a telephonic conversation, Morarji Desai informed the then Pakistan President, Zia-ul-Haq, that India was aware of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program. According to reports, acting on this “tip-off”, the Pakistani intelligence managed to track and kill all of RAW’s officers and sources in Kahuta, leaving India in the dark about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program from then on.

• Curbing the Khalistan Movement

Backed by the ISI, the Khalistani militancy reached its peak in the mid-80s. RAW set up two covert task forces to counter the militants in Punjab. RAW managed to flush out Khalistani militants from the streets of Punjab, and also destabilised several major cities in Pakistan, eventually forcing ISI to retreat.

• Operation Meghdoot

Operation Meghdoot, the code name for the Indian Armed Forces’ operation launched to seize control of the Siachen Glacier in Kashmir. It is a perfect example of how keeping one’s eyes and ears open can save a lot for your nation.

Executed on the morning of 13 April 1984, on the highest battlefield in the world, Operation Meghdoot pre-empted Pakistan’s impending Operation Ababeel (intended to achieve the same objective) and was a success, resulting in Indian forces gaining control of the Siachen Glacier in its entirety. The tip off came to RAW from a London-based garment company that informed them that Pakistan too had bought similar Arctic weather gear which they had earlier supplied to the Indian troops for the Northern Ladakh region.

• Operation Chanakya

During the peak of the Kashmir violence, RAW was assigned the task of infiltrating the Kashmiri separatist groups backed by ISI and restoring peace in the beautiful Kashmir valley.

RAW successfully managed to infiltrate in the area and gather evidence of ISI’s involvement in the funding and training of Kashmiri separatist groups. Operation Chanakya also marked the creation of pro-Indian groups in Kashmir like the Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen, Muslim Mujahideen etc. which later helped in  infiltrating and neutralising the militancy in the Kashmir valley.

• Operation Cactus

Operation Cactus, the codename given to the intervention of India to defeat the 1988 Maldives coup d’état attempt when around 200 Tamil rebels invaded the Maldives to overthrow the Government. The Indian Armed Forces, at the request of the Maldives’ President, with RAW’s assistance, launched a military campaign to clean out the mercenaries. Paratroopers were lifted from Agra to the Maldives by the Indian Air Force. A precise operation was carried out by all three forces and RAW, and they helped restore the government’s rule in the island nation within hours.

• Operation Leech

One of the most unheard of but also the most controversial intelligence operation put out was Operation Leech. Operation Leech is the name given to an armed operation on the Indo-Burmese border in 1998.

Myanmar has always been a tricky area for Indian intelligence. As per the report, India wanted to establish a stable government. RAW established pro-democracy parties like the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). But, relations with KIA turned sour and RAW initiated Operation Leech. The mission was to assassinate the rebel leaders. In 1998, six top rebel leaders were shot dead and 34 Arakanese guerrillas were arrested on the account of gun-running in the country.

• Snatch Ops for the Intelligence Bureau on Foreign Land

RAW has also been carrying out snatch ops. RAW officers, on input from agencies in India, bypass a lengthy extradition process by catching the suspect in a foreign country and getting them into the country for interrogation in undisclosed locations.

In over a decade, RAW has taken up more than 400 such operations. Some famous terrorists nabbed are Yasin Bhatkal founder leader of the proscribed terrorist organisation Indian Mujahideen; Lashkar militants Tariq Mehmood and Abdul Karim Tunda; Bhupinder Singh of the Khalistan Commando Force; Sheikh Abdul Khwaja, one of the handlers of the 2008 Mumbai attacks among others.

• Amalgamation of Sikkim into India

Sikkim, bordered by the Indian state of West Bengal and India’s neighbours, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan in the Eastern Himalayas was a Monarchy. After India’s Independence in 1947, Sikkim became a protectorate under India, which controlled its defence, external affairs, diplomacy and communications.

In 1972, Indira Gandhi authorised RAW to install a pro-Indian democratic government there. RAW did wonders. After widespread demonstration and rioting against the Monarchy in Sikkim, in 1975 a referendum was held in which 97.5% of the electorate (in a nation where 59% of the population could vote) voted to join the Indian Union. And, in less than three years after RAW initiated its operation, on April 26, 1975, Sikkim became the 22nd State of the Indian Union.

• War of 1971 and the birth of Bangladesh

RAW played a crucial role in the creation of Bangladesh. RAW is credited with training, supplying ammunition and intelligence inputs to the Mukti Bahini (Bangladeshi Guerilla Organisation) of Bangladesh. Nearly 10 Million refugees fled to India in the aftermath of Pakistan’s military crackdown in the then East Pakistan. Special Frontier Force (the paramilitary wing of RAW) actively participated in military operations along the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

One failed mission amidst this was preventing the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which RAW claimed that its input was ignored by the leader and later he was killed along with 40 other members of his family. But, the they successfully thwarted the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur’s daughter, Sheikh Hasina (the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh).

• Operation Sri Lanka

RAW played a double game in Sri Lanka wherein it helped the Sri Lankan Army to destroy the ‘Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’ (LTTE) while protecting Indian assets against President Rajapaksa’s hitmen and the Tigers.

Later, the Indian govt took a principled decision by supporting the Sri Lankan army’s offensive over LTTE because the entire international community had outrage over the LTTE’s string of suicide bombings. Between 2007 and 2009, when Sri Lanka declared complete victory over the LTTE, it was R&AW which transferred the satellite imagery evidence of all the Tigers’ camps in the eastern and northern provinces to the Sri Lankan military.

• Operation Satori

There is no documented evidence of this Operation, nor do any declassified files exist but RAW did conduct this operation in Sri Lanka with the help of a ‘mysterious’ maid named Sundari, a Sinhalese-speaking Tamil woman who worked to evacuate the RAW officials and secrets from Sri Lanka after they were brought to the notice of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa spies’.

RAW had the confirmed report that the Chinese were secretly providing arms and ammunition to the Sri Lankan army during the civil war and going to invest more than $2 billion in Sri Lanka.

• Operation Hornet

Operation Hornet was launched by RAW in two cities; Paris and London simultaneously, to neutralize the UK-based Abdul Khan, a Pakistani national, who was planning attacks in India with the intervention of ISI and some Indian-Sikh businessmen based in the UK namely, Avtaar Sethi, Harbakhsh Singh, BN Sandhu, and Harpreet Ahuja in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star of 1984.

This one operation had every element of a blockbuster Spy movie; Honey trap, Greediness, Phone tapping, Psy-Ops, Recruiting the Mole, Surveillance, Breaking of the Terror Funding, the Chase and finally Knockout. Sanjeev Jindal, the Indian RAW agent, along with foreign informer and operatives Clarke and Sophie, laid the trap, and Khan was shot dead.

Concluding Remarks and References

RAW, apart from these, took several other intelligence operations to safeguard India’s interests. War in Fiji, and Shadowy War in Washington to hunt traitors are some of the other disclosed operations carried out by RAW, the details of which can be found in the Books;

• ‘RAW: A history of India’s covert operations’ by Yatish Yadav
• ‘India’s External Intelligence: Secrets of R&AW’ by Major General VK Singh
• ‘RN Kao: Gentleman Spymaster’ by Nitin A Gokhale
• ‘The War that made RAW’ by Anushka Nandkumar and Sandeep Saket
• ‘Spy Stories – Inside the secret world of the RAW and ISI’ by Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark

As the first line of defence against overseas threats, the agency continues to provide intelligence to the prime minister and various security agencies, speaking truth to power. At the same time, the intelligence agency requires a clear political direction with zero interference if it is to maintain its neutrality, speed and efficiency.

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History of RAW - India’s external intelligence agency

A path-breaking history of india’s covert operations by the fabled research and analysis wing, based on extensive interviews with both serving and former intelligence operatives who share stories of triumphs and tragedies in the realm of spycraft..

Published : May 12, 2022 06:00 IST

“RAW: A History of India’s Covert Operations” by Yatish Yadav, Westland Books, 2020.

Did the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) set up a monitoring station in the 1960s, with a plutonium device buried somewhere under the snow and earth on the slopes of the Nanda Devi, to spy on the Chinese? According to Morarji Desai (Prime Minister of India from 1977-1979), the device was “buried in an avalanche and could not be located”. A new device was installed. It “functioned normally for a while but was removed subsequently in 1968 and the equipment was returned to the US”.

What happened to the first device? According to Yatish Yadav, author of RAW : A History of India’s Covert Operations, “[the] Atma Ram panel suggests that new techniques need to be adopted to locate the device. The Committee has also considered the possibility of the device being still intact but lying buried somewhere. It has pointed out that even in this case there is no hazard unless the device is disturbed or disintegrated.”

Sounds apocryphal, like accounts of the Yeti, the “abominable snowman” of the Himalaya? Not quite, if we were to read notes provided by Yatish Yadav in his fascinating book.

The story of the missing plutonium device high up in the Himalaya serves as a perfect metaphor for the perennial lure of spy fiction across cultures and societies.

From Eric Ambler to Ian Fleming and John le Carre, authors of espionage narratives focus on solitary, flamboyant, larger-than-life figures who are pitted against evil predators that threaten nation states and the civilised world order. Such fiction intersects the genres of crime thrillers, adventure narratives and catastrophe fiction. Spy stories thrive in conflict situations on the world stage, and therefore the First World War, the Second World War and the Cold War have given rise to classic spy stories. From Mata Hari to Richard Sorge, from the “Atomic Spy” Klaus Fuchs to “Carlos the Jackal”, and their fictional counterparts in the Cold War era such as the iconic 007, licensed to kill, such characters proliferate the espionage landscape. Once treated as part of the entertainment industry, today spy fiction is serious academic business in leading universities of the world: it reveals deeper subtexts and anxieties in cultural and ideological terms. Spy fiction is more than guns, girls and machismo.

Also read: Shadow wars

While spy fiction may be immensely popular in India, there have been few studies of India’s external intelligence agency, the fabled RAW (Research and Analysis Wing). The mainstream media seldom, if at all, devote attention and columns to undercover operations and espionage unless spies/agents get hopelessly trapped across the border, and desperate families appeal for deliverance. Praveen Swami’s columns on the subject in The Hindu were rare instances of public education. Regrettably, these have not been sustained over the years on a regular basis.

This is where Yatish Yadav’s book scores. In 11 fascinating chapters, the volume unravels, as the title indicates, a history of India’s covert operations by RAW, the nation’s premier spy agency. The author explains: “Unlike the American CIA, British M16 and Israel’s espionage unit Mossad, the Indian Intelligence community guards its critical operations, achievements and failures vigilantly. This book is an attempt to clear the cobwebs.”

How do we separate fiction from the facts, the grim life of the ordinary spy from the more appealing world of mythology, legend and iconography? In the United States, sustained efforts in the media, academia and legislature have brought to the attention of the interested public the activities of the CIA and its domestic counterpart, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Similar efforts in India have been few and far between and have been stonewalled for decades. The Indian courts have ruled in favour of maintaining secrecy and confidentiality on the ground of national security.

Yatish Yadav’s book is therefore a welcome addition to the subject. It is based on extensive interviews with serving and former Intelligence operatives who emerge from their shadowy lives to share stories of successes and failures, triumphs and tragedies, heroism and cowardice in the realm of spycraft.

Origins of RAW

Founded in 1968, RAW “began with 200 officers who left the I.B. [Intelligence Bureau] to join the newly created external intelligence agency named in a nondescript manner”. It would function with “glamour and anonymity in unchartered territory”.

Led by the legendary Rameshwar Nath Kao, the first batch of RAW officers joined service in 1971 and soon saw action in the formation of Bangladesh and other hotspots. RAW developed its own cadre even as members of the Indian Police Service (IPS) continued to serve the organisation on deputation. Debates over the two services continue to date. Officers and operatives, as Yatish Yadav explains, learnt to speak one or many languages such as Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Sinhalese, German, Polish and Urdu. By the time of Morarji Desai, RAW had a staff of “more than five thousand on its payroll”. Desai turned out to be inhospitable to RAW and Kao, and K. Sankaran Nair left the organisation. N.F. Suntook took charge and “saved the agency”.

Also read: India’s secret war

RAW’s glory was somewhat restored after Indira Gandhi’s return to power. It had mixed fortunes under the prime ministerships of Rajiv Gandhi, V.P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar. In due course, RAW “recruited trained and deployed informers and covert action teams in the USA, Iran and several European countries as well as in India’s immediate neighbours. It also employed analysts, polygraph examiners, cartographers, linguists, economists and political analysts to defend the country from internal foes and external enemies. While the I.B.’s mandate was essentially within the country, it also opened offices at times on foreign soil. As is to be expected, the two agencies joined hands, and at times fought over turf to the detrimental of the common cause.

Yatish Yadav tells us that the “first successful strike against Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil War was mounted by eighty battle-trained covert action operatives of RAW. Their valour and heroism were recognised within the closed chamber of Prime Minister [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee and swiftly they receded to their shadowy zones and could never enjoy public accolades for their service to the nation.”

In Bangladesh, Yatish Yadav tells us, RAW combated the influence of CIA and Pakistan. The tragic assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a big blow and a much-chastened RAW regrouped to regain its lost influence in Bangladesh. By November 1988, RAW’s station head, code-named Krishna Patwardhan, had set up the necessary network in Bangladesh, to target elements that were hostile to India.

RAW saw spectacular action in other theatres as well. On March 20, 1988, we learn, RAW operative Anupam Malik began to carry out Mission Fiji’, “aimed to disrupt and dismantle Fiji’s military regime” that threatened to upset the ethnic balance in Fiji. Attempts were being made by this regime to deny political rights to ethnic Indians, most of whom had been immigrants to the country during the British Raj. Deporting all ethnic Indians to India’ was a distinct possibility. By the 1990s Sitiveni Rabuka, the strongman, was honey-trapped and compromised by RAW agents in Fiji and had to abdicate political power.

Also read: ‘The Kashmir issue is a convenient whipping boy’

Similarly, RAW’s involvement in Afghanistan, we learn, began with the Soviet Union’s invasion of the country. The agency’s operatives carried out missions right through the chequered regimes of Tarki, Amin and Karmal encountering opposition from Pakistan’s Zia ul-Haq and the Taliban at different times. Former RAW operative Ashfaq reveals to Yadav that RAW was concerned about Afghan terrorists being used in Kashmir by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General Hamid Gul. The success of Ahmed Shah Masoud’s Northern Alliance may be attributed to the clandestine support of the Indian spy agency in Afghanistan.

Supporting & opposing the LTTE

In Sri Lanka, RAW propped up the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and had to follow the contradictory path of support and opposition following the dictates of the political masters in Delhi. RAW operative Pawan Arora believes that “launching the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) in Sri Lanka was a ‘political blunder’”. While the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) gained from the clandestine support by RAW through the supply of aerial photography of LTTE positions, the SLA seemed to have reneged on its assurance and embarked on total annihilation of vast sections of the civilian population, committing war crimes that would bring it notoriety in the United Nations and other international forums. These are issues that are far from over, even as Sri Lanka undergoes a serious economic crisis and turmoil today.

The riveting narrative is assisted by Yatish Yadav’s astute political commentary. His verdict is that “Sri Lanka remains one of the most disastrous espionage operations ever. The political decision to first support the insurgents and subsequently turn the guns against them had little gains for India besides holding on to influence in the neighboring country for a few decades.”

Also read: The Doval doctrine

In the chapter titled “Shadowy War in Washington”, we see the RAW operative code-named ‘Blue Sky’ track down the Khalistani leader Jagjit Singh Chouhan and successfully penetrate the World Sikh Organisation, the International Sikh Federation and the Babbar Khalsa International. While the traditional rivalry between the I.B. and RAW continued, according to RAW operative Krishna’s candid opinion, “the I.B. proved to be far superior in the Canadian theatre than the RAW.”

Tales of betrayal

The book also chronicles stories of betrayal. The chapter titled “Hunting the RAW traitor” reveals the sordid career of the RAW agent Rabinder Singh, an ex-Army man who sold national secrets to the CIA for money. A loving father who quoted the Bhagavad Gita to his daughter, Singh led parallel lives and passed on classified information to the foreign power. Although given asylum in the U.S., he was soon forsaken by the CIA and met with an unexplained road accident there. The RAW agent Delta, whom Yatish Yadav spoke to “neither confirmed nor denied” any role the RAW might have played to eliminate the “traitor”.

Yatish Yadav also points out the hurdles, both bureaucratic and political, that have hampered RAW’s functioning. According to older agents, only three Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao, “genuinely appreciated espionage statecraft”.

At the global level, aside from the U.S., RAW has also had its footprints in the Iran-Iraq conflict, in the Russian scene, elections in the U.K., the Nuclear Arms Race, the India-Iran relationship, corruption issues and pillow talks. In the epilogue, Yatish Yadav explores the role and relevance of spy operations and human intelligence in the digital world: “Could data accessed via cyberespionage replace a good spy behind the enemy lines?” Yatish Yadav firmly believes that machines and eyes in the sky cannot replace the human agent. He quotes Chanakya’s words in this context: “A king needs trusted spies not just to steal secrets of his enemies, but also to sow seeds of dissension among the opposition. A fiery spy working undercover can change the destiny of a nation.”

Also read: Balochistan vs Kashmir

While cyberespionage by RAW may answer the needs of the times, the agency performs its vital role as “the first line of defence against overseas threats”. In Yatish Yadav’s opinion, “the intelligence agency requires a clear political direction with zero interference if it is to maintain its neutrality, speed and efficiency”.

A major limitation of this account is that there are very few references to the sources used, especially the primary ones. It is Yatish Yadav’s claim that the revelation of sources is likely to jeopardise operations and the lives of agents. Even so there are many places where the interested reader would have liked to trace the quotes to published and other sources. In their absence, the sceptical-minded would question the authenticity of many of the claims being made. This is a departure from established scholarly practice.

Despite this shortcoming, readers would enjoy going through this path-breaking book. Written without jargon, with an easy flow, Yatish Yadav’s narrative about India’s covert operations will remain a significant milestone. In the words of the RAW spy code-named Vijay Giri, “spying is like walking on water, it can produce miracles”. Indeed!

Sachidananda Mohanty is former Professor and Head, Department of English, University of Hyderabad. He has taught well-attended courses on spy fiction such as On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: Reading Spy Fiction Today . He is the former Vice Chancellor of the Central University of Odisha.

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5 The Research and Analysis Wing

• Published: March 2024
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The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s external intelligence agency, has been in operation for over five decades, yet the organization has no constitutional status in India. There is no official history of R&AW, and the little that is known about this organization can be gleaned from a handful of memoirs authored by former serving officers focused largely on covert operations. This chapter focuses primarily on the organizational aspects of the R&AW and aims to provide a clearer institutional account of one of India’s principal security institutions. This chapter is based on a careful survey of media reports on and analyses of the organization, government reports, and interviews with former officers and experts. The chapter is divided into three sections. The first outlines the history and the core objectives of the R&AW. The second shines a light on its governance, including its organizational structure, recruitment policies, external oversight, and human and financial capital. In the concluding section, the authors analyse the agency’s need for change and reform.

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How To Join RAW India (Research And Analysis Wing)

• February 28, 2024
• 183 Comments

Have you ever wondered how to join RAW and become part of India’s elite external intelligence agency? The Research and Analysis Wing, commonly referred to by its acronym RAW, stands as the forefront of ensuring national security, engaging in critical operations that safeguard India from external threats. Since its inception in 1968, RAW has evolved to become a pivotal player in India’s strategic interests, handling tasks that range from gathering political and military intelligence to performing anti-terror operations.

For individuals who aspire to serve their country in a capacity that transcends conventional frontiers, understanding the full form of RAW, its significant role in protecting India’s security interests, and the agency’s remarkable history, including its role in the formation of Bangladesh and its strategies during the Kargil War, is an essential first step. Raw India’s exploits resonate not just within our nation’s borders but have echoed across continents, influencing global geopolitical landscapes.

Embarking on a journey to join RAW demands a comprehensive grasp of the agency’s meticulous recruitment and training process. Our article aims to shed light on the eligibility criteria you must meet and the precise steps you need to undertake to be considered for a role as a RAW agent.

As a trusted beacon for defense aspirants, we recognize your ambition to rise above the ordinary and we strive to mentor you on how to become a RAW agent, uncovering details such as the RAW agent salary and career progression within the agency. Joining RAW is not just about harnessing skills; it’s about embodying a sense of purpose that aligns with national pride and duty.

We will navigate through each phase—from the recruitment process to the rigorous training that shapes exceptional RAW agents—ensuring that your pursuit of joining RAW, India’s esteemed intelligence ward, is illuminated with clarity and ambition. Let us inspire and equip you with all you need to realize your potential and embark on a career marked by valor and intelligence, synonymous with RAW’s legacy of excellence.

Understanding RAW and Its Function

As we delve into the essence of RAW, India’s premier intelligence agency, it’s pivotal to comprehend its core functions and the magnitude of its operations. Established in 1968, under the aegis of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, RAW’s inception was a strategic move to bolster India’s intelligence capabilities, particularly in foreign territories. The full form of RAW, which stands for Research and Analysis Wing, encapsulates its mission to conduct research and analysis that is critical to the nation’s safety and strategic interests.

Key Objectives and Functions of RAW:

• Monitoring Developments:  RAW’s primary mandate involves keeping a vigilant eye on political, military, economic, and scientific advancements in countries that could impact India’s security. This surveillance is crucial in preempting any threats and formulating strategic responses.
• Counter-Terrorism:  The agency is at the forefront of tracking terrorist factions and disrupting smuggling networks that funnel illicit arms into the country, thereby fortifying India’s defense against internal and external threats.
• Covert Operations:  RAW agents are trained to execute covert operations with the aim to safeguard India’s national interests. These operations are often shrouded in secrecy but are vital in maintaining the country’s sovereignty and security.

Notable Achievements and Structure:

• Historical Impact:  The agency has been instrumental in several key operations, including the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 and the integration of Sikkim in 1975, showcasing its pivotal role in shaping India’s geopolitical narrative.
• Direct Reporting:  Unlike other intelligence bodies, RAW maintains a direct reporting line to the Prime Minister, facilitated through the Joint Intelligence Committee, ensuring swift and confidential communication of sensitive information.
• Organizational Hierarchy:  At the structural core, RAW is comprised of the Office of Special Operations, Additional Secretaries, and a dedicated Aviation and Special Services division, all collaborating to fulfill the agency’s expansive mission.

Challenges and Operational Reach:

• Equipment and Manpower:  Despite being ranked among the top five intelligence agencies globally, RAW faces significant challenges, such as a severe staff shortage, with an estimated 40% deficit in personnel as of 2013.
• Strategic Bureaus:  The agency extends its intelligence network through 10 field formations, known as Special Bureaus, strategically positioned in major cities near India’s borders, to gather vital intelligence from neighboring nations.
• Military Hardware Control:  A significant aspect of RAW’s objectives includes monitoring and curtailing the flow of military hardware to Pakistan, predominantly sourced from the United States, China, and Europe, thereby maintaining a balance of power in the region.

In our pursuit of understanding how to join RAW and the full form of RAW, we recognize that aspiring RAW agents must align with the agency’s unwavering commitment to national security. With this knowledge of RAW India, we can appreciate the gravity and prestige associated with becoming a RAW agent. As we continue our exploration, we will uncover the steps on how to become a RAW agent, the raw agent salary, and the profound career paths that lie ahead for those who dare to dream of serving their nation at the highest level of intelligence and valor.

Eligibility Criteria for Joining RAW

Embarking on the esteemed journey to join RAW, India’s premier intelligence agency, necessitates meeting a set of stringent eligibility criteria. These prerequisites are designed to ensure that only the most capable and dedicated individuals are entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding our nation’s security and interests. As aspirants like you seek to understand how to become a RAW agent, it is imperative to familiarize yourself with the fundamental requirements:

• Must be an Indian citizen.
• Should have a clean record with no criminal background or pending court cases.
• A graduation degree from a recognized university is mandatory.
• Proficiency in at least one foreign language is highly beneficial.
• Candidates often emerge from esteemed positions within the Civil Services, having cleared the rigorous Civil Service Exam, including roles in the IAS, IPS, or IRS.
• Recruitment also extends to meritorious individuals from Indian armed forces such as the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Individuals with significant experience, typically more than 20 years in service, are preferred.
• Lateral deputation is another pathway, targeting the Officers Corps of Armed Forces or Group A Civil Service Officers.
• While the exact age limit is not officially specified, candidates are generally expected to be between 25-45 years old.
• Physical fitness is paramount, given the demanding nature of RAW operations.
• Exceptional communication skills are essential for the role of a RAW agent.

As a RAW agent, you will be at the vanguard of defending national security, acquiring critical foreign intelligence, and combating terrorism. You will also play a pivotal role in influencing foreign governments and shaping public opinion globally. The raw agent salary and career trajectory reflect the high stakes and significant responsibilities of the position. With the full form of RAW symbolizing the Research and Analysis Wing, your alignment with the agency’s mission and your adherence to these eligibility criteria will be the first step in your journey towards joining RAW India’s cadre of elite intelligence professionals.

The Recruitment Process

Embarking on the path to join RAW, the Research and Analysis Wing of India, is a journey of meticulous selection and dedication. As we continue to explore how to join RAW, we now focus on the recruitment process, which is as strategic and discerning as the operations of RAW itself.

• Aspirants must first clear the UPSC Civil Services Exam, which is the gateway for various civil services in India, including the IPS and IFS, from which RAW often recruits.
• The full form of RAW stands for precision and excellence, and thus, the agency selects candidates based on stellar performance in the UPSC Exam and their adherence to the eligibility criteria.
• Direct Recruitment at the Class I executive level occurs from civil services officers who are undergoing the Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).
• RAW agents, including most secretaries, have historically been officers from the IPS, with other posts being held by officers from the IFS and IRS.
• The selection process for RAW agents intensifies with interviews and psychological assessments conducted at the end of the LBSNAA Foundation Course to identify candidates with the right aptitude for intelligence work.
• Shortlisted candidates are then inducted to work at RAW India for a one-year period, during which their performance and adaptability to the intelligence culture are evaluated.

Eligibility and Preparation :

• Nationality and Legal Standing : Candidates must be unwaveringly loyal Indian citizens, with a clean legal record, free of any criminal background or pending court cases.
• Educational and Age Requirements : A graduation degree from a reputed institution is essential, and candidates must be less than 56 years of age, with a requisite number of years’ experience in government service.
• Language and Skills : Proficiency in at least one foreign language is highly beneficial, reflecting the global operational reach of RAW agents.

By understanding the full form of RAW and aligning with the agency’s mission, you can prepare to navigate the challenging recruitment process. Remember, the raw agent salary is commensurate with the high-stakes and significant responsibilities that come with the role. As you contemplate how to become a RAW agent, keep in mind the dedication and commitment required to serve India’s premier intelligence agency.

Training of RAW Agents

Embarking on the rigorous journey to become a part of RAW, India’s esteemed intelligence agency, involves a meticulously structured training regimen designed to hone a wide array of skills necessary for the multifaceted role of a RAW agent. We aim to provide insights into the comprehensive training process that each aspirant undergoes, reinforcing the commitment to excellence synonymous with the full form of RAW – Research and Analysis Wing.

Basic Training Curriculum

Upon selection, trainees are initiated into the world of intelligence with a robust basic training module that spans various critical areas:

• Espionage Techniques : Trainees are introduced to the art of real-world espionage, learning the nuances of clandestine operations and information gathering.
• Technological Proficiency : Space technology and information security form the backbone of modern intelligence; hence, aspirants are equipped with cutting-edge scientific knowledge.
• Analytical Acumen : A strong emphasis is placed on financial, economic, and geo-strategic analysis to develop the analytical prowess needed for high-stakes decision-making.
• Case Studies : Learning from past successes and failures, trainees study detailed case studies of other intelligence agencies to understand the dynamics of global intelligence work.

Advanced Training: Field Intelligence Bureau (FIB)

After mastering the basics, trainees advance to the Field Intelligence Bureau training, which is an intensive 1-2 year program focusing on:

• Survival Skills : Agents are trained to survive in the most hostile environments, ensuring their readiness for any situation.
• Covert Operations : Mastery in secret operation management, including infiltration and exfiltration techniques, is imparted to handle sensitive missions.
• Interrogation Resistance : Trainees learn to resist and manage interrogation scenarios, a critical skill for maintaining operational integrity.
• Operational Execution : From contact management to mission operation, agents are equipped to execute complex intelligence tasks with precision.

Pathway to Permanent Selection

The journey from trainee to a full-fledged RAW agent is marked by a series of evaluations and choices:

• Initial Induction : Candidates selected through RAS or direct recruitment at the Class 1 Executive Level undergo a year of intensive training, during which their compatibility with intelligence work is assessed.
• Optional Reintegration : At the end of the first year, trainees have the option to return to their parent service, allowing for a reevaluation of their commitment to RAW India’s mission.
• Final Selection : Those who exhibit unwavering dedication and exceptional skill are permanently inducted into the Research and Analysis Service, ready to embark on a career filled with challenges and triumphs.

Throughout the training, the raw agent salary reflects the high stakes and rigorous nature of the work. As you deliberate on how to join RAW and how to become a RAW agent, it’s clear that the path is not easy, but for those who are determined, it’s a journey of transformation into an intelligence professional of the highest caliber. The full form of RAW is a testament to the comprehensive education and preparation that each agent receives, ensuring their readiness to protect and serve with intelligence, valor, and an unwavering sense of duty.

Career Path and Roles in RAW

Embarking on a career with RAW India, the full form of RAW being Research and Analysis Wing, opens up a spectrum of roles that are pivotal to the nation’s security. Here, we outline the career path and roles within RAW, providing a roadmap for aspirants like you, who are seeking to understand how to join RAW and become integral to India’s intelligence framework.

Career Path in RAW

• The journey begins with selection into an elite government job such as IAS or IPS, followed by a national aptitude test in intelligence and psychology, and an interview process.
• Successful candidates are recruited through the Research and Analysis Service (RAS) cadre, part of the Central Staffing Scheme, and undergo a one-year training period to assimilate into RAW’s culture and operations.
• Senior Roles : Secretary/Additional Secretary (R), Joint Secretary
• Mid-level Roles : Director/Deputy Secretary/Attache
• Operational Roles : Senior Field Officer, Field Officer, Deputy Field Officer, Assistant Field Officer
• Advancement through these ranks is contingent on performance, dedication, and the successful execution of missions.
• RAW officials receive the opportunity for international training, equipping them with global intelligence perspectives and operational techniques, which are crucial for RAW agents working in diverse geopolitical landscapes.

Roles and Responsibilities in RAW

• Foreign Intelligence Gathering : As a RAW agent, you will be at the forefront of collecting sensitive information from foreign lands, which is critical for shaping India’s foreign policy and strategic decisions.
• Counter-Terrorism Operations : RAW agents play a decisive role in thwarting terrorism, ensuring the safety of India’s populace and its sovereign interests.
• Policy Advisory : Leveraging the intelligence gathered, RAW agents provide invaluable insights to policymakers, influencing decisions at the highest levels of government.
• Nuclear Security : A RAW agent’s role extends to securing India’s nuclear program, a task of profound national importance.

Maintaining Integrity and Performance

• Performance Review : RAW agents are consistently evaluated for their performance. Those who excel are rewarded with progression, while those who do not meet the standards may face forced retirement.
• Integrity Assurance : The integrity of a RAW agent is paramount. Any doubts regarding an agent’s loyalty or conduct can lead to termination, ensuring the agency remains uncompromised.

As you consider how to join RAW and how to become a RAW agent, it’s clear that the path is demanding yet rewarding. The raw agent salary and benefits are reflective of the high-stakes nature of the work. With RAW India, you are not just choosing a job; you are committing to a lifestyle of vigilance, patriotism, and excellence. Your role within RAW will be instrumental in shaping the security narrative of the nation, and as such, every step of your career will be marked by the pursuit of brilliance and an unwavering dedication to the service of India.

Some of the known activities and operations of RAW are as follows:

• ELINT operations aimed at China
• Bangladesh liberation and aftermath
• Operation Smiling Buddha
• Amalgamation of Sikkim
• Kahuta’s Blueprint
• Operation Lal Dora
• Operation Meghdoot
• Kanishka Bombing case
• Special Operations
• Operation Cactus
• Operations in Sri Lanka
• Anti-Apartheid Movement
• Operation Chanakya
• Overthrowing monarchy in Nepal
• Help to the Northern Alliance
• Operation Leech
• War on Terror
• 2008 Mumbai attacks
• Snatch operations with IB
• 2015 Sri Lankan presidential election

Different Job Roles (Designations )  in RAW

1. What is the process to become an agent in RAW India?

To pursue a career as a RAW agent, candidates must first clear the Combined Graduate Preliminary Exam (CGPE) conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). Subsequently, they need to qualify for the ‘Group A’ Civil Services exam under the Central Staffing Scheme and excel in all stages of the Civil Service examination.

2. Is it possible to join RAW without taking the UPSC exams?

Direct recruitment into RAW is not available; therefore, candidates must go through the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination process.

3. Where is the headquarters of RAW located in India?

The headquarters of RAW is situated in New Delhi, which serves as the capital of India and is part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is also the administrative hub for all three branches of the Government of India.

4. What is India’s primary secret intelligence agency?

India’s main foreign intelligence agency is the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

5. How challenging is it to work for RAW?

Working as a RAW agent is not an easy task; it demands significant hard work, dedication, and a rigorous training process.

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• Comment (183)

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It’s take a next level of responsibility

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I couldn’t clear NDA, CDS but fire is still in me for the nation for force way of life. currently, I preparing for UPSC. i have learned boxing, I’m a linguistic person, I’m good at acting .qualification 10th from Christian missionary, 12th science. B.A . in politics. Family background ‘0’. So, I have decided to join Research and Analysis wings.or CApf.

हेलो सर मैं आपना नाम नहीं बता सकता पर मैं RAW में शामिल होना चाहता हूं

Sir I am Retd from Corps of signals on 30 Apr 2021 after completion of 30 year service . My trade is (OSS) Yeoman of signals intelligence.I have more experience to Analysis and interception our target country and internally trts activity . I served in j&k 18 years 06 years in north east . Two decoration has received . I have interested same platform to lead and improve ndian security. Pls guide me and give me chance thx

मेरी मौत बहुत नजदीक है पर मरना तो है लेकिन देश के लिए नोकरी नहीं करनी है वो तो कहीं भी मिल जाएगी पर मुझे जो चाहिए वो देश के लिए त्याग करने पर मिलेगा वो नाम जो हर किसी को नहीं मिलता शहीद मुझे खुफिया एजेंसी सीआईए में शामिल कर लिजिए

sir I am interest in the job this is called a may country My country is my father My country is my mother My country is my sister My country myself is everyone Sir please take me one chance Sir I definitely I am not afraid you Dharma rakshite rakshda Jay hind

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please join for RAW agent in Indian.sir.

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I’m amazed by the number of stupid people commenting and asking the post creator to make them join RAW… Bhai sahab. English dekh ke maut aa rhi hai tum sab ki 😂. A bunch of morons.

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Me tooo Lol

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I am a proud INDIAN who wants to join RAW and wants to work for my motherland. Thanks

I am a proud INDIAN who wants to join RAW and wants to work for my people. Thanks

Dear sir I am from Imphal ,Manipur where communal clash have been going on since 3rd May, 2023 but still not in silent . This is the act of terrorism which attacked by the Burmese Terrorists to the people of Manipur who are living nearby the Hilly Areas. People are roaming here and there to get shelter. Some are stayed with their relatives and others are in the relief camps opened by the state government. They are facing many problems economically and mentally. Most of their wards are dropped out from the schools. Besides these things, people at the plain areas as well as at the hearth of the city are also facing economical problems as they cannot run their business properly and many organizations are emerged and started donation from the public. Meanwhile some people are trying to get a chance for looting private properties. For the correction of these unfair things I want to join in any of the Central Intelligence service. My contact number is

Dear Sir My contact number is 8787822102

How can i approach for giving an information releated with POK?

I will be glad if i can share this info with R&AW

I will be glad if i can share this with R&AW

research and analysis wing i am join of kolkata partime job I am not interested money

Jai Hind!! I’m just an 8th grade student ,I aspire to Join R&AW.

Code Name: BlackNinja

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The RAW: Understanding India's External Intelligence Agency

• Thread starter Rage
• Start date Sep 29, 2009

More options

• To monitor political and military developments in adjacent countries, including China and Pakistan, which have a direct or indirect bearing upon India's national security and upon the formulation of its foreign policy; Technical and Technological espionage under the auspices of the National Technical Facilities Organisation (NTFO).
• To make the control and limitation of the supply of military hardware to Pakistan, mostly from European countries, the USA and China, a priority.
• To gather intelligence on leadership, capabilities and organization of various insurgency groups operating in adjacent states that pose a national security or integrity threat, and to thwart these using covert operations, assassinations, sabotage, indirect political coercion and exo-agent and interagent collusion where possible.
• To further geopolitical goals, encourage a strategic balance and evince a deterrence of external collusion with domestic insurgency groups by establishing working relationships with secessionist agencies abroad.
• To provide security for India's nuclear program.

[In continuum].... Controversies: The main controversies which have plagued the R&AW in recent years are over bureaucratization of the system, favoritism in promotions, ego clashes and inter-departmental rivalry. R&AW also suffers from ethnic and representative imbalances in the officer level. In 2006, Indian magazine Outlook reported that although India has a Muslim minority numbering around 160 million, not a single high level muslim officer existed in R&AW. Noted security analyst and former Additional Secretary B.Raman has criticised the agency for its asymmetric growth and has sought to summarize its abilities in the following: "while being strong in its capability for covert action it is weak in its capability for intelligence collection, analysis and assessment. Strong in low and medium-grade intelligence, relatively weak in high-grade intelligence. Strong in technical intelligence, weak in human intelligence. Strong in collation, weak in analysis. Strong in investigation, weak in prevention. Strong in crisis management, weak in crisis prevention." In September 2007, R&AW was involved in a controversy due to a high profile Central Bureau of Investigation Task Force raid at the residence of Major General (retired) V K Singh, a retired Joint Secretary of R&AW who has recently written a book on R&AW where it was alleged that political interference and corruption in the intelligence agency has made it vulnerable to defections. A case under the Official Secrets Act has also been filed against V K Singh. Another controversy erupted for the agency when a senior technical officer was arrested by the CBI on graft charges, on February 4, 2009. The scientist, a Director level employee, worked in the division that granted export licenses to companies dealing in “sensitive” items, including defence-related equipment. He was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.1 lakh from a Chennai based manufacturer for obtaining an export license. In June 2004, the spy scandal involving former Joint Secretary and head of R&AW's South East Asia department Rabinder Singh's defection to the United States seriously tarnished the image of the organization as an effective agency. The RAW had already become suspicious about his movements and he was put under physical and telephone surveillance following the mistrust. He was confronted by Counter Intelligence officials on 19 April 2004, Despite all precautions, Rabinder Singh managed to defect with 'sensitive files' he had allegedly removed from R&AW's headquarters in south New Delhi. The embarrassing fiasco and major national security failure was attributed to weak surveillance, shoddy investigation and lack of coordination between the Counter-Intelligence and Security (CIS), the IB and the R&AW. Recently in an affidavit submitted to the court, R&AW deposed that Singh has been traced to and put under surveillance in New Jersey. In 2007, a spy scandal involving a Bangladeshi DGFI agent and known by the name of Diwan Chand Mallik was brought to light when he was known to have known posessed some important documents damaging to national security. A case of forgery was filed at the Lodhi Colony police station against the individual on the basis of a complaint by a senior R&AW official, however he was failed to be taken into custody. In Popular Culture Excessive secrecy and rare declassification of activities have ensured that the RAW has remained out of the public imagination. However, films like Mission Istanbul , Asambhav , Dasavathaaram and Veer-Zaara have either made mention of or fictionally predicated themselves upon the agency. Acknowledgments: http://www.fas.org/irp/world/india/...ysis Wing [RAW] - India Intelligence Agencies India Intelligence Organisation Research and Analysis Wing [RAW] - India Intelligence Agencies Research and Analysis Wing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia RAW: India's External Intelligence Agency - Council on Foreign Relations India, Intelligence and Security ? FREE India, Intelligence and Security information | Encyclopedia.com: Find India, Intelligence and Security research India's External Intelligence: Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) http://www.bt.com.bn/en/analysis/2008/01/10/critical_look_at_indias_intelligence_service .  

RAW started with a bang but has over the years become like any other govt organization in India. Just becausebit doesn't havevto report to anyone but the PM and has an accounted funds, it's taken itself for granted. Others like the ISI use such freedom to become a terror, but RAW has gone the other way. Maybe it's recruitment policy has to change. Right now it's mainly recruiting from the police force and we know how the police force is in our country. I think RAW should make spying a career option for those interested. I remember reading the the newspaper as to how the MI6 publishes ads for recruitment.  

Global Defence Moderator

Yusufji the RAW has its onw Civil service cader for recruitment called Today, R&AW has its own service cadre, the Research and Analysis Service (RAS) to absorb talent  

But the majority is from the police. And issues of being unprofessional and not upto scratch need to be addressed.  

this is a problem that has got excabrated with a system of Prement Deputation where by IPS officers are peremently deputated to the RAW  

Isn't there a dedicated course like an Indian spook service that draws the best talent from the country andvthey be recruited? Just on the lines of IAS, IPS, IFS. I'm sure there are many out there wanting to be 007s.  

thats what the the Research and Analysis Service (RAS) is for  

There is a thread on Pakistan's ISI elsewhere, missing is a thread on the main regional power, India. The ISI thread ... This week the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank had a short review article on its blogsite, by the RUSI (UK) based analyst Shashank Joshi; I thought it was interesting. An Indian "lurker" responded that the article was: Quote: ..a very amateurish attempt...(partly as he relied on)..Srinath Raghavan who knew only in 2013 that Indian intelligence have no legal backing . Raghavan is not a historian but only a young journalist... Click to expand...

VPM's Centre for International Studies Seminar on India as an Emerging Major Power: Foreign Policy Thrust Areas January 27 & 28, 2012 INTELLIGENCE AS FOREIGN POLICY TOOL By V.Balachandran, Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GOI Click to expand...

I really think what we have been doing in Af-PAK, for 12 YEARS (!), is as mad as the impossible to conceive analogy I presented. We know and have known how insane this situation has been for years. The monograph does an excellent job of pulling all the open source evidence together. The problem may be that we may never see official documents confirming how bad the situation has been. Computer files may be a lot easier to 'disappear' than paper. The powers that be have a huge incentive to erase official evidence about how their impregnable personal pride, naivete and arrogance has played right into the hands of the grifters in 'Pindi, and how that has resulted in the deaths of hundreds and hundreds of Americans and thousands and thousands of Afghans. Firn: The thing that interests, and enrages, me is our behavior. The feudal elites/Pak Army/ISI are destroying their country for their own short term benefit and nothing can stop them now. Ironically I think, us being such fools has robbed Pakistan of any chance it may have had. If we had stopped their game 10 years ago they may have been discredited and maybe Pakistan would have had a chance. Not now though. The thing with the game they run on us is they run it on us. It can only work on such titanic fools such as the American elites. Nobody else has the proper combination of narcissistic pride and ignorance. It is no accomplishment besting a fool but they won't remember that and will have very great trouble because the guys in their neighborhood are no fools . But like I said, the thing that interests me is our behavior. It is beyond reason. Click to expand...

When i visualize RAW, i visualize a government office full of scattered files,slow moving fans and paan-ka-dhabbhas in corners. That may not be accurate but RAW is incompetent and this is a fact.  

chase said: When i visualize RAW, i visualize a government office full of scattered files,slow moving fans and paan-ka-dhabbhas in corners. That may not be accurate but RAW is incompetent and this is a fact. Click to expand...

R&AW is not so much incompetent as it is underfunded. The US devotes $52bn USD per year to its 'intelligence community'; another 30-40bn if you include black budget allocations in the DoD that go to covert military ops and C4ISR research. China devotes $110bn per year, in total, to 'domestic security', which, after excluding domestic police functions, leaves 50-60bn for internal CI and external intelligence-gathering. India doesn't even spend that much on its defence budget in total.  

t_co said: R&AW is not so much incompetent as it is underfunded. The US devotes $52bn USD per year to its 'intelligence community'; another 30-40bn if you include black budget allocations in the DoD that go to covert military ops and C4ISR research. China devotes $110bn per year, in total, to 'domestic security', which, after excluding domestic police functions, leaves 50-60bn for internal CI and external intelligence-gathering. India doesn't even spend that much on its defence budget in total. Click to expand...

freethinker777

fake article. nothing like RAW exists.  

freethinker777 said: fake article. nothing like RAW exists. Click to expand...

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Indian Intelligence and Investigation Agencies: Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing

Context:   This article is about the Intelligence Collection and Evolution of Indian Intelligence and Investigation Agencies: Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW/RAW).

About Intelligence Collection

• Description: It is the collection and processing of information about foreign countries and their agents which is needed by a government for its national security and foreign policy.
• Human Intelligence (HUMINT): It is the collection of information from human sources. 
• Signals Intelligence (SIGINT): It refers to electronic transmissions that can be collected by ships, planes, ground sites, or satellites. 
• Imagery Intelligence (IMINT): It is produced through an integration of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information.
• Measurement and Signatures Intelligence (MASINT): It includes the advanced processing and use of data gathered from overhead and airborne IMINT and SIGINT collection systems. 
• Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): It refers to a broad array of information and sources that are generally available, including information obtained from the media, professional and academic records, and public data.

Evolution of Indian Intelligence and Investigation Agencies

• It was established in 1968 to handle India’s international intelligence affairs under R. N. Kao, who was appointed by Indira Gandhi.
• Mandates: It collects military, economic, scientific, and political intelligence. It is also responsible for monitoring terrorist and smuggling elements..
• It contributed significantly to India’s national security and foreign policy interests over the years, by providing valuable information, analysis, and action. 
• Creation of Bangladesh in 1971
• Accession of Sikkim to India in 1975
• In the 1980s, it conducted trilateral operations with Afghanistan’s security agency KHAD and Soviet Union’s security agency KGB.
• Ensuring the secrecy and success of India’s nuclear tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan, in May 1998 (Operation Smiling Buddha), led by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
• However, Morarji Desai accidentally exposed R&AW’s operation in a telephonic conversation with then-Pakistan President Zia-ul-Haq, which resulted in the elimination of R&AW’s assets and agents in and around Kahuta.
• He also slashed the R&AW budget by 30% as he thought the agency was Indira Gandhi’s private army and misused by spying on the Opposition.
• Ravindra Kaushik was a R&AW agent who spied for India from 1975 to 1983. He penetrated the Pakistan Army and reached the rank of Major. 
• Internal Intelligence Agency: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is an internal intelligence agency of India that is used to gather information from within India. Until 1968, the IB was responsible for handling external intelligence too.
• Mandates: It executes counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism tasks. It is particularly tasked with intelligence collection in border areas, on the recommendations of the Himmatsinhji Committee.
• Under the Aegis of: It comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Also Read: Hamas Attack On Israel: Lessons For India To Learn

New Emerging Tool

• Significance: Using the tool, in J & K, the collaboration of RAW, IB, and other departments achieved a 65% reduction in terrorism.
• Challenge: It is resulting in the creation of Internal Conflicts and Insurgency in Punjab, Mizoram, and J&K (after 370 abrogation)

Conclusion:

India needs to invest more in the structure and functional strength of the Indian Intelligence System. The agencies need to constantly adapt and evolve to meet the new challenges and to serve India in the best possible way.

News Source: PWOnlyIAS  

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Intelligence Agencies of India: IB and RAW

Last updated on August 2, 2022 by ClearIAS Team

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is India’s intelligence agency and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is the external intelligence agency. Read here to know more about the agencies.

The National Security of India is a topic of high importance- apart from the defense and paramilitary forces in India, various intelligence and investigation agencies too play their part in ensuring the security of the country.

Two of the important intelligence agencies are IB and RAW. While Intelligence Bureau (IB) is the internal intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is the external intelligence agency.

Table of Contents

Intelligence Bureau (IB) – Internal Intelligence agency

Intelligence Bureau (IB) is India’s intelligence agency which gathers intelligence from within the country and also executes counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism tasks.

It functions under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

It is headquartered in New Delhi.

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The IB draws its employees from law enforcement agencies such as the Indian Police Service (IPS), the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), and the military.

The IB director is part of the Strategic Policy Group and the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) of the National Security Council, and reports directly to the Prime Minister.

History of IB

Intelligence Bureau was founded in 1887 as Central Special Branch by the British Indian government.

It is reputed to be the oldest such organization in the world.

In 1909, the Indian Political Intelligence Office was established in England in response to the development of Indian revolutionary activities.

By 1921, it came to be called Indian Political Intelligence (IPI) constituting a surveillance and monitoring agency.

• It was run jointly by the India Office and the Government of India and maintained close contact with Scotland Yard and MI5.

After Indian independence in 1947, IPI was renamed as the Intelligence Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Until 1968, it handled both domestic and foreign intelligence after which Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was formed specifically for foreign intelligence.

The establishment of RAW led to IB being primarily assigned the role of domestic intelligence and internal security.

Functions of IB

IB is used to garner intelligence from within India and also execute counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism tasks.

In addition to domestic intelligence responsibilities, the IB is particularly tasked with intelligence collection in border areas.

ll spheres of human activity within India and in the neighborhood are allocated to the charter of duties of the Intelligence Bureau.

Most of the activities of the IB are classified hence less information is available about its functioning and missions.

Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – External Intelligence agency

The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) is the foreign intelligence agency of India.

The agency’s primary function is gathering foreign intelligence, counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, advising Indian policymakers, and advancing India’s foreign strategic interests.

The head of RAW is designated as the Secretary (Research) in the Cabinet Secretariat and is under the authority of the Prime Minister of India without parliamentary oversight.

On an administrative basis, the Director of RAW reports to the Cabinet Secretary, who reports to the Prime Minister.

History of RAW

Foreign intelligence was initially handled by the Intelligence Bureau (IB). But the intelligence failure in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 , the need for a separate external intelligence agency was realized.

In 1968, India’s first foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing was established.

Other child agencies such as the Radio Research Center and the Electronics & Tech. Services were added to R&AW in the 1970s and 1990s.

In 1971, the Government set up the Aviation Research Centre (ARC). The ARC’s job was aerial reconnaissance. It replaced the Indian Air Force’s old reconnaissance aircraft.

In 2004 Government of India added yet another signal intelligence agency called the  National Technical Facilities Organisation  (NTFO), which was later renamed as National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).

Objectives of RAW

• Monitoring the political, military, economic, and scientific developments in countries that have a direct bearing on India’s national security and the formulation of its foreign policy.
• Molding international public opinion and influencing foreign governments.
• Covert Operations to safeguard India’s National interests.
• Anti-terror operations and neutralizing elements pose a threat to India.
• Monitors the political and military development in the neighboring countries, which have a direct bearing on India’s national security and in the genesis of its foreign policy.

Activities of RAW

RAW was instrumental during the Bangladesh liberation war of 1971 and was responsible for supplying information, providing training, and heavy ammunition to Mukti Bahini.

RAW has trained intelligence officers of many independent African countries. It has also assisted in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and Namibia.

RAW also provided intelligence for Operation Cactus for quelling the insurgency in the Maldives in 1988.

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Reader Interactions

June 12, 2023 at 8:11 pm

It is exilent for the safety of the nation and provides the exact information to the government. I am a huge fan of this agencies and want to join this but in my initial studies I do not know about it but I want to do something for my nation.

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