RAW’s Ravi Sinha who headed operations is now agency’s new chief

According to an order issued Monday by the Ministry of Personnel and Training, “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of 59-year-old Sinha, a 1988-batch IPS officer from Chhattisgarh, who is currently Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, as the Secretary R&AW for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.”

Deputed to the agency around 20 years ago, Sinha has worked in different desks and is widely considered in the intelligence community as an expert on India’s neighbouring countries.

“He has served in Jammu and Kashmir and in the Northeast. He was also posted in Bhutan, Hong Kong, China and The Hague. The Centre decided to appoint him after they found him to be a specialist on countries in India’s immediate neighbourhood.He has vast experience in handling matters related to Pakistan, Myanmar and Kashmir apart from the Khalistan issue,” a senior intelligence official said.

Another officer said that in the past six years, Sinha was part of different operations related to Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast and those against Left-Wing Extremism after coordinating with different state police and paramilitary forces.

His predecessor Goel was appointed R&AW chief for two years in June 2019. He was later given two extensions of one year each in 2021 and June 2022. Goel, 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.