On September 22, 1965, a ceasefire was declared between India and Pakistan. At this point, Pakistan’s military was almost out of weapons, and there was no chance of getting new supplies. This was mainly because the United States had imposed an arms embargo on Pakistan, preventing them from receiving any more weapons. If India had known about Pakistan’s desperate situation, it could have pushed for a more decisive victory.
Unfortunately, this information was not available at the time, and India missed the opportunity to secure a more significant win.
Former RAW chief, Sankaran Nair, in his book Inside IB and RAW: The Rolling Stone That Gathered Moss, sheds light on what went wrong. According to him, the Indian Army Chief at that time, General J.N. Chaudhuri, had given a report to the Defense Minister, Yashwantrao Chavan. The report highlighted that the Indian Army couldn’t achieve a clear victory over Pakistan because it lacked accurate intelligence. The responsibility for gathering such intelligence lay with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), India’s internal intelligence agency at the time, whose agents were unable to provide the necessary information.
This criticism of the Intelligence Bureau’s performance led to a major change in India’s intelligence structure. The government realized the need for a specialized agency that could focus on collecting intelligence from outside the country, particularly from neighboring nations like Pakistan and China, which posed significant threats to India’s security.
As a result, in 1968, under the leadership of Rameshwar Nath Kao, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was established. RAW was given the specific task of gathering foreign intelligence, and it was created as an independent agency to ensure it wasn’t bogged down by the limitations that had affected the Intelligence Bureau.
Selection of RAW Agents
In its early days, RAW had to select its agents carefully, as it was a new organization tasked with highly sensitive work. The agency primarily recruited people from the Indian Armed Forces and the Intelligence Bureau, ensuring they already had some level of experience and training in intelligence gathering.
Over the years, RAW’s recruitment process has evolved. Today, its agents are selected through multiple channels. Some are directly recruited from various government services, such as the Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), and Indian Administrative Service (IAS). These officers undergo specialized training in intelligence work, foreign languages, and espionage techniques.
In addition to government officers, RAW also recruits talented individuals from universities and technical institutions. People with expertise in technology, cryptography, and foreign languages are particularly valuable in modern intelligence work.
Before becoming full-fledged RAW agents, all recruits go through rigorous training, which includes not just fieldwork but also mental conditioning. This training is designed to prepare them for the high-stakes world of espionage, where their work remains hidden from the public eye, but its impact can be enormous for national security.
RAW agents operate in complete secrecy, often working undercover in foreign countries. Their job is to gather vital information that can help India make informed decisions about its security and foreign policies.These agents must have the ability to blend into foreign environments, build networks of informants, and extract critical intelligence without getting caught.
In conclusion, the formation of RAW was a direct response to India’s lack of reliable foreign intelligence during the 1965 war with Pakistan. The agency has since become a key player in protecting India’s interests on the global stage. Its agents, selected through a careful process, are trained to handle the complex and dangerous world of espionage, working silently to keep the nation safe.