By Girish Linganna
Apr 29: The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is a major intelligence agency in India. Originally centered on China and Pakistan, RAW has broadened its focus over the last four decades, greatly enhancing India's influence worldwide.
RAW's main role is to supply the Indian government with strategic, in-depth information to aid in complex decision-making. It works closely with various global intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, sharing, planning, and carrying out intelligence activities.
Overview of RAW Operations
The Prime Minister of India supervises RAW, with the agency's director reporting directly to him. The director is supported by a deputy director and other senior officers who manage different operational units and departments. RAW organizes its operations into sections based on specialization and expertise. The key divisions of RAW include:
External Intelligence: This division focuses on gathering and analyzing information from sources outside India.
Technical Support Division: This group is tasked with collecting intelligence using technological methods and providing technical support to other RAW divisions.
Aviation Research Centre: This unit operates a fleet of aircraft, performing aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Joint Intelligence Committee: This committee oversees the coordination of all Indian intelligence agencies.
Operations: This department is responsible for designing and carrying out covert operations to achieve India's national security objectives.
In addition to these divisions, RAW includes various other operational units. For instance, special teams consist of highly skilled individuals who carry out secret operations. RAW recruits from both military and civilian sectors in India.
Ultimately, the main objectives of RAW's operational framework are to collect foreign intelligence, conduct secret operations, and provide guidance to the government on national security issues. To protect India's security interests, all of RAW’s subdivisions work together to tackle threats to the nation.
RAW Recruitment and Roles
RAW features various ranks, each with its own significance. The responsibilities assigned to an officer depend on their position.
Class-1 Officer
Secretary/Additional Secretary (R)
Joint Secretary
Director/Deputy Secretary/Attaché
Group A Officer
Senior Field Officer
Field Officer
Sub Area Officer
Assistant Field Officer
Job Profile of a Raw Agent: The responsibilities of a RAW agent primarily involve monitoring military and political developments in countries around India. Essentially, the key duties and roles of RAW agents in India are as follows:
Gathering foreign intelligence
Conducting anti-terrorism operations
Advising policymakers in the country
Counterpropagation
Securing the country’s nuclear program
Recruitment: In India, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) recruits individuals from a wide range of sectors including government agencies, the armed forces, intelligence services, police departments, and administrative services. However, these are not the only sources from which RAW can select its personnel.
Becoming a RAW agent requires substantial professional experience and solid educational qualifications. It's challenging to join India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), as candidates must be in excellent physical and mental health. To be eligible for positions at RAW, they need a degree from an accredited institution and proficiency in at least one foreign language.
Applicants must be effective communicators with sharp memory skills. Additionally, candidates should be under 56 years old and have more than 20 years of service experience. They must be Indian citizens with no criminal records or ongoing court cases to qualify for a position as a RAW agent.
RAW selection Procedure: RAW often recruits skilled candidates who have cleared the UPSC Civil Services Exam and chosen to become IPS and IFS officers. A government employee becomes eligible for selection in RAW only after completing the foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.
At the end of the course, instructors give a psychological test and hold an initial interview. Candidates who make the cut then start a one-year internship at RAW. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruits suitable candidates for various Indian civil services, including the IAS, IPS, and IFS. The UPSC Civil Services Exam is structured into three stages: the UPSC Preliminary Examination, UPSC Mains and Personality Test, and the UPSC Interview.
National Defense Milestones
¦ Foreign Intelligence: RAW supports many important operations abroad with intelligence and works closely with other Indian intelligence agencies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The agency conducts both open and secret missions to collect military, economic, scientific, and political intelligence. It also monitors groups involved in smuggling weapons and ammunition into India and keeps tabs on terrorist organizations. RAW primarily focuses on India's neighboring countries. Moreover, it supplies Indian officials with the information it collects, which is then used to shape the country's foreign and national security policies.
Achievements of RAW: Over the years, India's premier foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has played a key role in several significant achievements. Some of its notable successes include:
Role in Creation of Bangladesh: In the early 1970s, RAW significantly contributed to the Bangladeshi independence movement against Pakistan, a pivotal effort that ultimately led to the establishment of Bangladesh.
Kargil War intelligence insights: During the 1999 Kargil conflict, RAW provided vital intelligence on the enemy's military positions, coordinates, and troop strength. This information helped the Indian Army plan and target the enemy's military sites effectively.
Tracking Pakistan's Nuclear Progress : In the 1980s, as Pakistan developed a nuclear program that threatened India, RAW played a crucial role by gathering intelligence on this development. This led to Pakistan's detainment and prompted international pressure for them to halt their nuclear activities.
Surgical Strike: In 2016, when Pakistan attacked India's Uri military camp, resulting in significant Indian casualties, the Indian Army responded with a well-coordinated counterattack. RAW provided crucial information about the enemy’s personnel, positions, and other relevant details to assist in the response.
Balakot Strike: In 2019, following an attack on Indian Army soldiers in Pulwama, RAW played a crucial role in planning and executing an airstrike in Balakot. This strike targeted and successfully destroyed a terrorist training camp in Pakistan, leading to substantial damage and casualties.
RAW has played a key role in several major events that have shaped India's national security. Its achievements include contributions to the Kargil War, supporting the independence movement in Bangladesh, and uncovering Pakistan's nuclear program. Today, RAW continues to be vital for conducting secret operations, gathering foreign intelligence, and advising the government on national security issues.
Indian Intelligence's Global Reach
Exploring RAW: Insights from 'The Print': The Delhi High Court declined a request to have the Central Government block an article about the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) published by the digital news outlet 'The Print'. The court emphasized that publishing includes the public's right to information and aspects of press freedom.
A division bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, rejected lawyer Raghav Awasthi's plea to set rules against media outlets publishing speculative reports based on sources about the locations of government officials or diplomats working abroad for an Indian intelligence agency, as reported by Grey Zone.
"The Print" published a controversial article on November 30 last year titled "Nijjar-Pannun effect: RAW closes doors in North America for the first time since founding in 1968." Awasthi argues that the piece endangers the careers of the mentioned officers by labeling them as intelligence officers, which could prevent them from serving in other Indian missions.
The Indian Government reserves the right to act against any publication or remove any content that it believes threatens national security, according to applicable laws. However, the court initially found that the disputed article does not endanger the careers of the officers mentioned, nor does it pose any physical threat to their families.The statement emphasized that matters of intelligence and relations between the Indian government and foreign nations should be approached with great caution, and that the Central Government does not require any advisory assistance from Awasthi.
Diplomatic Strain Arises from Assassination of Sikh Leader in Canada: The assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader near Vancouver on June 18, 2023, has intensified diplomatic tensions between India and Canada. India's accusation of involvement in the killing underscores the increasing efforts of Indian intelligence to expand its network in Western countries, particularly under Narendra Modi's leadership, in areas with significant Sikh populations.
The Canadian government expelled an Indian diplomat accused of involvement in the assassination, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged India's participation in the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In response, New Delhi denied the accusations, claiming that Canada provides refuge to terrorists and extremists who pose a threat to India's security.
R.K. Yadav's memoirs describe India's foreign intelligence agency evolving into a proactive organization with global operational capabilities to safeguard Indian citizens' interests. Yadav served as an officer in the agency for almost forty years.
Terror Incidents in Pakistan: Terrorist attacks in Pakistan have risen significantly, with the latest being a suicide bombing on September 29, 2022. This attack occurred during a celebration for Prophet Muhammad's Birthday in Mastung, Balochistan province, in southwest Pakistan, killing sixty people and injuring many others.
Shortly thereafter, another blast occurred at a mosque during Friday prayers in the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan. This explosion resulted in at least five fatalities and twelve injuries.
No group has claimed responsibility for the two latest attacks, but Pakistan’s Interim Interior Minister, Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, has accused India of involvement in the Balochistan attack. During a press briefing in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, he suggested that India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) might be behind the recent terrorist activities in Karachi, located in southern Pakistan.This information was also shared by GreyZone, a US-based investigative media outlet.
Securing the Future: RAW’s Strategic Vision
In summary, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is a key component of India's intelligence framework, focused on delivering vital strategic intelligence for national security decisions. Its organized structure, with diverse departments and operational teams, reflects its comprehensive strategy in collecting foreign intelligence and conducting secret operations. Notably, RAW's contributions range from its crucial involvement in the formation of Bangladesh to its role in the Kargil War and anti-terrorism efforts, underlining its substantial influence on India’s security environment.
Joining RAW requires strict standards, such as academic achievements, work experience, and proficiency in foreign languages, ensuring the agency is staffed with highly skilled personnel. Additionally, its collaboration with other intelligence organizations and government entities, along with its active approach to intelligence gathering, enhances India's defense and policy-making strengths.
However, recent developments like the diplomatic strain after allegations of RAW's involvement in international incidents and rising terrorist attacks in neighboring Pakistan highlight the persistent challenges and complexities intelligence agencies encounter in preserving regional stability and protecting national interests.
As global dynamics shift, RAW's ability to adapt and effectively manage new threats, while maintaining transparency and accountability, becomes crucial. Collaborations, both within India and abroad, are vital for effectively tackling emerging security challenges. Moving forward, RAW's ongoing dedication to excellence and innovation will play a key role in defining India's security strategy in the future.
(The author Girish Linganna of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach out to him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)