Parag Jain Appointed New RAW Chief from July 1

In a significant yet low-key transition, Parag Jain, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1989 batch from the Punjab cadre, will assume charge as the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) on July 1. Appointed for a two-year term by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Jain will take over from the retiring chief, Ravi Sinha, bringing with him decades of deep field experience and strategic insight.

Jain’s elevation comes at a time when India's external intelligence agency is navigating a complex geopolitical environment marked by rising regional threats, persistent cross-border terrorism, and the growing intersection of technology with espionage. Known for his sharp operational mind and discreet working style, Jain has spent much of his career in some of the most sensitive and volatile theatres of Indian national security.

Currently serving as the head of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC)—a technical intelligence wing under RAW—Jain played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, which enabled precision missile strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control. The success of such missions has cemented his reputation as a leader who combines tactical ground intelligence with high-end surveillance technology.

Throughout his career, Jain has worked across multiple key postings, including in conflict-prone Jammu and Kashmir, as well as diplomatic intelligence roles in Canada and Sri Lanka. These stints helped him build an extensive understanding of regional intelligence networks, particularly in the Af-Pak region—a domain where RAW has maintained sharp focus due to persistent terror threats and political instability.

His earlier postings in Punjab during the sensitive post-militancy years—covering districts like Bhatinda, Mansa, and Ludhiana—further honed his instincts in counterinsurgency and internal threat management. Colleagues and insiders describe Jain as someone who balances the traditional strengths of human intelligence with the precision of technological tools, creating layered and nuanced threat assessments.

Parag Jain takes over at a crucial time when RAW is under increasing pressure to adapt and evolve. With Pakistan's military signaling a more assertive stance, and growing concerns over China’s regional ambitions, RAW's strategic outlook under Jain is expected to undergo recalibration. Observers anticipate that his leadership will bring sharper focus on intelligence modernisation, inter-agency coordination, and regional foresight, all while maintaining the secrecy RAW is known for.

Though quiet in his demeanor, Jain’s reputation as a clear-headed strategist and operations man signals a firm yet thoughtful leadership at the helm of India’s most shadowed agency. His ability to read between the lines—and beyond the visible—is likely to define RAW’s next chapter in navigating global intelligence challenges.