New Delhi: In a significant transition at the helm of India’s external intelligence agency, Parag Jain, a seasoned 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Punjab cadre, is set to assume charge as the next chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) on July 1. His appointment, cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, is for a two-year term.
Jain will succeed Ravi Sinha, whose tenure was marked by a characteristically discreet leadership style. In contrast, Jain brings to the post a dynamic blend of operational experience, strategic acumen, and a deep understanding of India’s most volatile security theatres. His career has spanned crucial assignments in counter-terror operations, foreign intelligence, and covert missions.
Currently heading the Aviation Research Centre, Jain played a key role in Operation Sindoor — a mission that enabled India to carry out precision missile strikes on terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control. His reputation as a counterterrorism expert, with specialisation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak) region, is expected to define RAW’s operational focus in the coming years, especially in dealing with evolving cross-border threats.
Jain's earlier stints in Canada and Sri Lanka involved diplomatic intelligence roles, while his tenure in Jammu and Kashmir placed him at the centre of high-risk counter-insurgency efforts. His work in Punjab during the post-militancy years — particularly in Bhatinda, Mansa, and Ludhiana — further honed his expertise in handling asymmetric threats.
Officials who have worked closely with Jain describe him as a strategist who effectively combines human intelligence with technological surveillance to build multi-layered threat assessments. His leadership style is marked by precision, discretion, and an ability to anticipate geopolitical shifts.
Jain’s appointment comes at a critical juncture for RAW, as the agency faces growing external challenges, including renewed aggression from Pakistan’s military establishment and increasing cross-border infiltration. His immediate challenge will be to recalibrate India’s intelligence posture while maintaining the agency’s hallmark secrecy.
As he prepares to take over, Jain is expected to steer RAW with strategic clarity, combining his extensive field experience with a modernised approach to intelligence gathering and analysis — a leadership that looks beyond the obvious, towards deeper and more nuanced threats in the region.
With IANS inputs