11 Facts About The India's Research And Analysis Wing (RAW) That Are Unknown To Most Of Us

It must be quite an adrenaline pumping occupation, working for the Research & Analysis Wing or RAW. Undercover operations, being sent to different countries all across the planet, the cool gadgets, the wine, the women. Not to forget, the chase. But do you know how much of it actually holds true? Do movies like the Bourne series, the Mission Impossible series, or the iconic James Bond actually depict intelligence agencies accurately? These facts on RAW, will help us find out.

1. RAW’s motto is ‘????? ?????? ??????:’, which basically translates to he who does not observe Dharma is destroyed, while he who follows it meticulously is protected. Dharma, in this context, stands for the nation.?

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2. RAW came into being on September 21st, 1968, after the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and the India-Pakistan war of 1965, which exposed gaps in intelligence gathering undertaken by the Intelligence Bureau (which, until then, handled both domestic and foreign intelligence). Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and her government, felt the need for an agency that would raise an alarm, and protect India before it went to war, or was hit by a terror attack. This agency would counter, or tackle them with whatever step they deemed necessary. RAW's first director was Rameshwar Nath Kao.

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3. RAW officials are sent to various places across the country and the world for rigorous training, including countries like United States, United Kingdom and Israel. Trainees receive an exhaustive training in the art of self-defence, mainly Krav Maga, and the use of technical espionage devices.

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4. In 1984, in a very important call to the Indian military, RAW informed that Pakistan's operation 'Ababeel' was planning to capture the Saltoro ridge in Siachen. Thanks to the timely tip, the Indian army was able to launch operation 'Meghdoot', which forced the Pakistan army to retreat even before they could enter the territory.

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5. Initially, RAW used to hire people only from IB (Intelligence Bureau), Indian police services, and Indian military or revenue departments. However, being recruited in the Research and Analysis Wing now is comparatively a lot simpler than before. They have even started picking up students from universities. One incredible story was of Ravinder Kaushik, India's biggest mole in Pakistan.

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6. RAW was successful in tapping the telephonic conversation that took place between then Pakistan army chief, Parvez Musharraf, and his chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Aziz, which confirmed Pakistan’s involvement in the Kargil incursion.?

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7. RAW, at any given point of time, is not answerable to the parliament of India on any issue. This same provision keeps it out of reach of the Right To Information (RTI) act.

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8. In fact, RAW is only answerable to the Prime Minister of the country, and the Joint Intelligence Committee. The head of RAW is called the "Secretary"(research) in the cabinet secretariat. The current chief of RAW is Rajinder Khanna.

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9. Training for RAW generally lasts for a couple of years. There's a basic training, and there's an advanced training.?

The basic training generally lasts no longer than 10 days where the trainees are familiarised with the real world of intelligence and espionage (all that the movies tell us is absolute bull). Financial and economic analysis, space technology, information security, energy security and scientific knowledge is given to the trainees. The recruit is made to specialise in a foreign language and are introduced to geo strategic analysis. Case studies of other agencies like CIA, KGB, ISI, Mossad and MI6 are presented for study. The inductee is also taught that intelligence organisations do not identify who is a friend and who is a foe; the country's foreign policy does. ?

After completing 'Basic Training', the recruit is sent to a Field Intelligence Bureau (FIB). His/her training here lasts for 1–2 years where they are given given firsthand experience of what it was to be out in the figurative cold, conducting clandestine operations. During night exercises under realistic conditions, he/she is taught infiltration and ex-filtration. They are also taught how to avoid capture and if caught, how to face interrogation. He/she learns the art of reconnoitre, making contacts, and the numerous skills of operating an intelligence mission. At the end of the field training, the new recruit is brought back to the school for final polishing.?

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10. RAW once beat ISI at their own game.

An Indian agent of RAW, Hashum Qureshi in Srinagar was working in league with the BSF. In Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organisation, launched the Al-Fatah organisation for liberation of J&K from India. 36 of these members were arrested by J&K Police with the help of Indian Intelligence Agencies. In order to get more inside information, RAW decided to infiltrate Qureshi into this organization as he was well aware of the terrain of POK.

But he was won over by the Pakistani Intelligence, the ISI. There, he was given training to hijack a plane by a former Pakistani pilot. When he was sent back to India, the BSF arrested him and he cracked upon interrogation. The plan was to hijack the plane which would be piloted by Rajiv Gandhi, son of Mrs. Indira Gandhi then Prime Minister of India. When this startling disclosure was reported to the head of BSF and RAW, India decided to beat Pakistan at their own game!

RAW and BSF persuaded Qureshi to work for them in order to save him from execution by the Indian authorities. According to the plan, Qureshi would hijack an Indian Airlines aircraft flying from Srinagar to Lahore. In return, he would demand the release of 36 members of the Al-Fatah who were in jail in India. A Fokker Friendship aircraft, Ganga, which was retired from Indian Airlines was inducted for this operation. The plane was hijacked and he was allowed a toy pistol and a fake grenade inside the plane. Pakistani authorities at Lahore allowed the plane to land when there were informed that it had been hijacked by National Liberation Front of POK. All India Radio soon made the broadcast of this hijack. The whole world, by now, was informed that the Pakistani government was behind this hijack. He demanded (as planned) the release of 36 Al-Fatah members in the custody of India, which India declined. Qureshi was given political asylum and hailed as a freedom fighter in Pakistan. He spoke to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Later the passengers of the plane came by road to India and the plane was burned by Pakistan.

Why did India execute this operation?

The Indian government banned all the flights of Pakistan flying over our territory and it exposed that Pakistani state openly and actively supporting terrorists. Pakistan was trying to curb the civil unrest in East Pakistan by using civil flights to send resources. The shortest air route between east and west Pakistan was from Indian Air Space. Any other air route without using India air space was at least 3 times longer and time/fuel consuming. Pakistan had to go around India, via Sri Lanka. The hijacking greatly slowed down the arrival of Pakistani Army through air. This was a master stroke by RAW during the 1971 war for liberation of Bangladesh by India.

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11. Amalgamation of Sikkim

Bordered by Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal in the Eastern Himalayas, Sikkim was ruled by a Maharaja right from Indian Independence. The Indian Government had recognised the title of Chogyal (Dharma Raja) for the Maharaja of Sikkim. In 1972, RAW was authorised by Indira Gandhi to install a pro-Indian democratic government there. In less than three years, Sikkim became the 22nd State of the Indian Union, on April 26, 1975.?Kazi Lhendup Dorjee Khangsarpa was the first democratic chief minister of Sikkim.

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Most of the information has been taken from this Quora thread.