A Glimpse at RA&W’s Glorious History

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The Research and Analysis Wing (RA&W) was established in 1968 and is India’s primary intelligence agency that aims at gathering intelligence from abroad. RN Kao, often regarded as India’s topmost spy, established RA&W and within a span of 10 years made it one of the foremost foreign intelligence agencies in the world.

Along with accumulating intelligence RA&W engages in tackling  terrorism, promoting counter-proliferation and advising Indian policymakers to advance our country’s foreign strategic interests.

Over a period of five decades RA&W has seen numerous ups and downs like any other organization of any nature would witness. Probably the lowest point for RA&W came when the Janata Party came to power in 1977 under Morarji Desai and cut RA&W’s funding by half and dismissed RN Kao as its head as he believed Kao had been instrumental in implementing the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. The truth, however, is that Kao had absolutely nothing to do with it. He never indulged in any kind of politics for favours or revenge.

Anyways.

In this article we recall eleven operations of RA&W that testify what a giant of a force it has become over the years and how its contribution to national security has been second to none.

1971 War

A mole planted by RA&W in General Yahya Khan’s office during the war gave information about a pre-emptive air strike planned by Pakistan on Indian air bases to decapitate India’s air force. The information ensured that the IAF was on alert and eventually it lost just two planes. Had the air strike been successful the outcome of the war could have been uncertain.

Amalgamation of Sikkim

In 1972, RA&W was authorised to integrate Sikkim into India and install a pro-India pro-democratic government in the hill state. After a 27-month operation RA&W had been successful in making Sikkim India’s 22^nd state.

Tackling Khalistani Elements

 Two covert groups by the names ‘Counterintelligence Team-X’ and ‘Counterintelligence Team-J’ were created by RA&W to counter Khalistani groups. Eventually the RA&W succeeded in finishing Khalistani insurgency.

Intelligence in the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks

RA&W had intercepted telephone calls through SIGNIT of a possible terrorist infiltration from sea but no follow-up was done by the higher ups in the government. However, the RA&W did attain success when the chief of HuJI India, Sheikh Abdul Khwaja, was arrested in Colombo because of intelligence inputs by the agency.

Creation of Bangladesh

Intelligence inputs to the army and supplying of information and weapons to the Mukti Bahini proved instrumental in the formation of Bangladesh.

Operation Kahuta

Kahuta was the site in Pakistan that was host to its nuclear program from early 1978. To prove that Pakistan was indulging in enriching uranium, RA&W agents gathered hair samples of Pakistani scientists in a barber shop near the facility, the analysis of which proved that Pakistan was indeed doing so.

Operation Leech

RA&W assassinated 6 top Burmese rebels who were responsible for supplying weapons and training rebels in North-Eastern states. The agency also arrested 34 Arakanese guerrilla fighters.

Snatch Operations with the Intelligence Bureau

RA&W has performed close to 400 snatch operations including the nabbing of Bhupinder Singh Bhuda of Khalistan Commando Force, Lakshar militant Tariq Mehmood, and Sheikh Abdul Khwaja who was one of the handlers of the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks.

Operation Smiling Buddha

In May 1974, India entered the elite nuclear club when it detonated a 15-kiloton plutonium device at Pokhran. The world was successfully kept in the dark thanks to the efforts of the RA&W.

Operation Chanakya

RA&W infiltrated many ISI-backed separatist groups in Kashmir and neutralized militancy in the Valley under this operation. The agency is also credited for the split in the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Balakot Strikes

For a week two RA&W assets had managed to infiltrate the Balakot terrorist camp and give back information to the Indian forces and government. It reported that about 150 more trainees were being welcomed on February 25 to the camp. The IAF went on to conduct historic air strikes on the camp the next day*.

*(RN Kao: Gentleman Spymaster by Nitin Gokhale)