RAW completes 53 years in service to the nation

• India’s premier intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is observing its 54th foundation day today.
• Established in 1968 to handle the nation’s international intelligence affairs, RAW came into force after the China-India War in 1962.
• At present, the intelligence arm operates under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office.

Genesis of RAW

• Until 1968, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) was responsible for India’s internal intelligence, and also handled external intelligence.
• However, after the 1962 China-India war and Indo-Pakistani war in 1965, India established a separate and distinct external intelligence organization – the Research and Analysis Wing.
• In 1968, then India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appointed R. N. Kao as the first director of RAW.
• Starting with 250 employees and a budget of $405,600, RAW undertook two major missions:

1. To maintain awareness about the military and political activities in the neighboring countries, primarily China and Pakistan.
2. Promote the control of military equipment supplies into Pakistan.

• Under the leadership of R. N. Kao (from 1968 to 1977), RAW provided intelligence support, which resulted in India’s successful operations which included:

1. Creation of Bangladesh in 1971
2. Defeat of Pakistan during the Kargil conflict of 1971
3. Accession of Sikkim in 1975
4. Increase of India’s support to Afghanistan.

Working of RAW

• The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) collects military, economic, scientific, and political intelligence through covert and overt operations.
• The agency is also charged with monitoring terrorist elements and smuggling rings that transport weapons and ammunition into India.
• RAW primarily focuses on India’s neighbors.
• The collected inputs by RAW also help Indian officials, which are further used in national security policy and revise the foreign policy.