Brain behind Operation Sindoor and spy craft master Parag Jain appointed new RAW chief

New Delhi: Parag Jain, one of the brains behind the meticulous planning of 'Operation Sindoor', has been appointed as the new Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), officials said here on Saturday.

The two-year tenure of Jain, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the 1989 batch of the Punjab cadre, 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.

Before this, 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', providing intelligence support that enabled the armed forces to execute precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

India hit nine terror camps across the border and Line of Control, including the headquarters of banned terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba on May 7.

The missile strikes were guided by pinpointed intelligence gathered by a team led by Jain, officials said.

With extensive ground experience in Kashmir, Jain is well-positioned to counter Pakistan's ongoing efforts to rebuild terror infrastructure in PoK.

Jain also brings extensive experience in addressing neighbourhood challenges and issues related to 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.

Jain has also served in Indian Missions in Sri Lanka and Canada. During his tenure in Canada, he monitored Khalistan terror modules operating from the soil of that country.