RAW India (Research and Analysis Wing)

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RAW India (Research and Analysis Wing)

The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) is India’s premier foreign intelligence agency, established in 1968 after the Indo-China war of 1962 and the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. Its main purpose is to strengthen India’s intelligence gathering outside the country, especially in relation to security threats.

Functions:
• Foreign Intelligence: Collects information about other nations’ political, military, and economic developments.
• Counter-terrorism: Tracks and counters terrorist activities that might threaten India.
• Counter-proliferation: Prevents the spread of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
• Regional Focus: Keeps close watch on neighboring countries like Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
• Covert Operations: Conducts secret missions abroad when needed to protect India’s interests.

Structure:
• The agency is directly under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
• It is headed by a Secretary (R), usually an experienced officer from the Indian Police Service (IPS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
• It works closely with other Indian intelligence bodies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

Secrecy:

RAW’s operations are highly secretive, and unlike many Western intelligence agencies, it is not directly accountable to the Parliament of India. This secrecy is considered necessary due to the sensitive nature of its work.

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