The Government on Saturday 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 is known for his crucial role in the high-stakes Operation Sindoor. He will succeed Ravi Sinha, who is set to complete his tenure on June 30.
Jain is scheduled to assume office on July 1 for a fixed two-year term. Before this, Jain was the head of the Aviation Research Centre, an organisation that deals with aerial surveillance, SIGINT operations, Photo Reconnaissance Flights (PHOTINT), monitoring of borders and imagery intelligence (IMINT). Jain brings over two decades of experience within R&AW to his new role.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Parag Jain, IPS to the post of Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) under Cabinet Secretariat for a tenure of two-years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post until further orders, whichever is earlier” the order read.
The decision to appoint Jain as chief of the external intelligence agency was made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet earlier this week, officials said.
Jain is known for his exceptional expertise in integrating both human intelligence (HUMINT) and technical intelligence (TECHINT) and is widely credited as the mastermind behind the planning of Operation Sindoor, providing intelligence support that enabled the armed forces to execute precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
India hit nine terror camps across the border and Line of Control, including the headquarters of banned terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba on May 7.
The missile strikes were guided by pinpointed intelligence gathered by a team led by Jain, officials said.
With extensive ground experience in Kashmir, Jain is well-positioned to counter Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to rebuild terror infrastructure in PoK.
Jain also brings extensive experience in addressing neighbourhood challenges and issues related to Khalistan terror groups. He played a crucial role in Jammu and Kashmir during the 2019 reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Throughout his career, Jain has held several significant positions. He was promoted to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) in Punjab on January 1, 2021, though he was on central deputation at the time.
His career includes significant operational contributions during the height of terrorism in Punjab, where he served as SSP and Deputy Inspector General of Police in various districts.
Jain has also served in Indian Missions in Sri Lanka and Canada. During his tenure in Canada, he monitored Khalistan terror modules operating from the soil of that country.