Ravi Sinha Appointed as India’s New RAW Chief

Ravi Sinha, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, has been appointed new Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief – India’s external intelligence agency for the next two years. A statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said, “Senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha was on Monday appointed as the new chief of India’s external intelligence agency RAW.”

WHO IS RAVI SINHA?

Ravi Sinha is a 1988 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre. Sinha is currently serving as Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat. IPS Ravi Sinha is well-known for his operational and spy skills. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Sinha’s appointment as Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for a tenure of two years, the order said.

“The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Rajiv Sinha, IPS, special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, as Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing vice Samant Goel on completion of his tenure on June 30, 2023, for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the order stated.

Sinha will succeed incumbent Samant Kumar Goel on completion of his tenure on June 30 and have a two-year tenure. Samant Kumar Goel, a 1984-batch IPS officer from Punjab cadre. In June 2019, Goel succeeded Anil Dhasmana as the Chief of RAW. Last year, Goel’s contract as RAW chief was extended for another year.

Under Goel’s tenure, the country saw Balakot Airstrike on Pakistan in 2019, peaceful Article 370 abrogation in Jammu & Kashmir and action against designated Pakistani and Khalistani terrorists.

Research and Analysis Wing

RAW is India’s premier foreign intelligence-gathering agency. RAW was founded mainly to focus on China and Pakistan, however, in the past few decades, the organization has expanded its mandate and is credited with India’s rising influence abroad. According to security experts, RAW’s powers and its role in India’s foreign policy have varied under different prime ministers. RAW claims to have played a significant role in several foreign policy successes like – the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, India’s growing influence in Afghanistan, Sikkim’s accession to India in 1975, the security of India’s nuclear program etc. Unlike the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States or Britain’s MI6, RAW reports directly to the prime minister instead of the Ministry of Defense.

The chief of RAW is designated secretary (research) in the Cabinet Secretariat, which is part of the Prime Minister’s Office.