Parag Jain, 1989-batch IPS officer, appointed R&AW secretary

The Narendra Modi government on Saturday appointed Parag Jain, a 1989-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, as the new Secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)—India’s premier external intelligence agency—for a fixed tenure of two years. He will officially take over on July 1, succeeding Ravi Sinha, whose term ends on June 30 after what many viewed as a relatively low-profile tenure.

Jain’s elevation was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on June 28, ending speculation over the leadership succession in one of India’s most sensitive security establishments.

Currently serving as the head of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC)—a crucial arm of R&AW—Jain played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, India’s precision retaliation following the Pahalgam terror attack. Under his command, ARC gathered actionable intelligence on Pakistani military deployments using a combination of HUMINT and TECHINT capabilities.