RAW (Research and Analysis Wing)

The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW, usually RAW) is India's external intelligence agency. It was created in 1968 when Indira Gandhi's government split foreign intelligence away from the Intelligence Bureau. R. N. Kao, until then an Intelligence Bureau deputy director, became its first chief, with about 250 hand-picked officers from the Bureau. US prosecutors describe it as housed in the Cabinet Secretariat.

In 1971 RAW helped the Mukti Bahini, the Bangladeshi liberation force, and is believed to have trained about 100,000 people for it, according to ThePrint.

Its chiefs (Secretary, Research) in this story

• R. N. Kao, first chief, from 1968. He later served as Indira Gandhi's security adviser until her assassination in 1984.
• Samant Goel, appointed in June 2019 for two years and extended twice, until 30 June 2023.
• Ravi Sinha, appointed in June 2023 for two years.
• Parag Jain, a 1989-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, from 1 July 2025 for two years. He earlier served in Canada, where he monitored Khalistani groups.

Its part in this history

The Third Agency claim. In September 1984 the magazine Surya published a report, "Dead Men Tell No Tales" by Rajeev K. Bajaj. As summarised in an opinion column by Gurmukh Singh OBE, it said a "Third Agency", staffed by officers recruited from RAW and other bodies, answered to the Prime Minister through R. N. Kao, kept weapons flowing into the Darbar Sahib complex and worked to discredit the Sikhs. The report relied on anonymous RAW sources. It is a claim, not a finding of any court or inquiry.

The Pannun plot. In October 2024 US prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Vikash Yadav, whom they described as a "senior field officer" employed by the Cabinet Secretariat, which houses RAW. They say he directed the plot from India to have Gurpatwant Singh Pannun killed in New York, and agreed to pay $100,000 to a hitman who was in fact an undercover US agent. India has said such an operation is against government policy, formed an inquiry committee, and told the US that Yadav is no longer a government employee. Yadav remains at large.

In April 2024 The Washington Post reported that US agencies assessed that Goel approved the operation. That is an assessment reported from unnamed officials, and no charge has been brought against Goel.

Key moments

• 1968: RAW formed under Kao.
• 1971: support to the Mukti Bahini.
• September 1984: the Surya report on the Third Agency.
• June 2023: Nikhil Gupta arrested in the Czech Republic (30 June).
• October 2024: Yadav charged in New York.
• 13 February 2026: Gupta pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire, conspiracy and money laundering counts. His sentencing is set for 20 November 2026.

Where it stands today

Parag Jain heads RAW. Indian officials deny involvement in the Pannun plot.