Centre appoints brain behind 'Operation Sindoor', IPS officer Parag Jain as the new RA&W Chief

New Delhi, June 28

The Centre has appointed senior IPS officer, Parag Jain as the new Chief of the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW).

An 1989 batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre, he was one of the brains behind the meticulous planning of ‘Operation Sindoor‘.

The two-year tenure of Jain officially begins on July 1. He takes over from Ravi Sinha, who retires on June 30.

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 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 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'. He and his teams provided intelligence support that enabled the armed forces to execute precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Jain also has hand on experience of handling cases related 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.