Indian government appoints Parag Jain as new R&AW chief
What's the story
The Indian government has appointed Parag Jain as the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). A 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Punjab cadre, Jain will replace Ravi Sinha, whose term ends on June 30. He will take charge on July 1 for a fixed two-year term.
Career highlights
Early career contributions in Punjab
Jain is currently the head of R&AW's Aviation Research Centre (ARC), which handles aerial surveillance and related operations. He has more than two decades of experience with R&AW. His early career includes significant operational contributions during the peak of terrorism in Punjab, where he served as Senior Superintendent of Police and Deputy Inspector General in multiple districts.
Operational expertise
Extensive experience in dealing with Pakistan
Within R&AW, Jain has extensively handled the Pakistan desk and served in Jammu and Kashmir during the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, officials told The Times of India. He has also been posted to Indian missions in Sri Lanka and Canada. During his tenure in Canada, he monitored Khalistani terror modules operating from overseas.
Intelligence skills
Jain's ground experience in Kashmir
Jain is known for his expertise in utilizing both HUMINT (human intelligence) and TECHINT (technical intelligence). The Print quoted sources within the security establishment, indicating that Jain is anticipated to provide new momentum to the organization, which has experienced significant setbacks over the past two years. The most notable setback was the failure in Bangladesh, which resulted in the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina government, along with India's inability to gauge the situation on the ground effectively.