Hardcore Operative, Neighbourhood Specialist: All About New RAW Chief

In a surprise move, senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha was appointed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief today, just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit.

Mr Sinha, a 1988 batch officer from Chhattisgarh would replace incumbent Samant Goel - a 1984 batch officer from Punjab Cadre.

"Sinha was originally from Madhya Pradesh cadre but when it was bifurcated, he went to Chhattisgarh. He is a hardcore RAW operative. Centre strictly went by seniority to appoint the new incumbent," said a senior MHA official.

Mr Sinha has been with RAW for over two decades and headed RAW's operational wing before his current promotion.

"Sinha is number 2 in the present hierarchy of RAW and handling operations and counter-terrorism unit. He would have retired in January 2024 but now he gets a two-year term," he added.

Mr Sinha takes over at a time when Sikh extremism is being propagated from some countries.

In the last month, Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar was shot dead in Pakistan, and then Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Nijjar shot dead in Canada. And just last week, Khalistan Liberation Force chief Avtar Singh Khanda died in a hospital.

Interestingly, the second-in-command in RAW now would be Parag Jain, a 1989 Punjab cadre officer.

Considered a neighbourhood specialist, Mr Sinha has also served in Jammu and Kashmir as a RAW commissioner. "He not only used to handle Jammu and Kashmir but also Leh Ladakh and Punjab too," an officer privy to the ministry explained.

According to him, Mr Sinha has also served as a consular general in Hong Kong for over four years from 2014.

Mr Sinha's predecessor Samant Goel is presently on extension. He was appointed as secretary RAW in 2019 and then subsequently given two extensions.

Mr Goel considered close to NSA Ajit Doval is an expert on matters related to Jammu and Kashmir, is believed to have played a key role in planning the February 2019 surgical strike in Pakistan's Balakot.