The central government on Saturday appointed Parag Jain, a 1989‑batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre, as the new Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) chief. He will succeed Ravi Sinha, whose current term concludes on June 30. Jain is set to assume office on July 1, 2025, for a fixed two‑year tenure, according to an ANI report.
Who is Parag Jain?
Currently heading the aviation Research Centre, which played a vital role during ‘Operation Sindoor’ by collecting intelligence on the Pakistani armed forces, Jain has previously served as SSP, Chandigarh and DIG Ludhiana, a HT report said. He has also represented India in Canada and Sri Lanka.
During the Canada posting, he had also taken on the Khalistan ecosystem there and had repeatedly warned Delhi that it was morphing into something dangerous, the report added.
Jain has also been posted in Jammu and Kashmir, where he played an important role in the Centre’s counter-terrorism strategy in the strife-torn Union Territory.
The HT report also said that Jain was posted in Jammu and Kashmir during the abrogation of Article 370 and Operation Balakot.
According to an India Today report, Jain is known as a ‘super sleuth’ within intelligence circles and has a reputation for effectively combining human intelligence (HUMINT) with technical intelligence (TECHINT), a mix that officials say has been crucial to several high-stakes operations.
A HT report said that Jain played an operational role during Punjab terrorism days while serving in Bhatinda, Mansa, and Hoshiarpur.
Parag Jain’s role in Operation Sindoor
One of his most lauded contributions in recent years was during Operation Sindoor, where intelligence inputs under his leadership enabled precision missile strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the India Today report added.
Insiders say that years of groundwork and painstaking network-building made such pinpoint targeting possible. Jain’s extensive experience on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir is also expected to weigh in his favour, the report said.
Described by senior officials as methodical and discreet, Jain has held several key roles throughout his career. He was promoted to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) in Punjab on January 1, 2021, though he was then serving on central deputation and thus received only notional benefits.
He was also empanelled to hold posts equivalent to a central DGP, underlining his credentials for leadership in the national intelligence framework.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment on June 28, bringing an end to speculation over who would succeed Ravi Sinha, whose tenure as R&AW chief was regarded as relatively low-profile.