The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) Explained

The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) is India’s external intelligence agency, formed in 1968 to collect foreign intelligence and advise the government on matters affecting national security from outside the country. The Research and Analysis Wing functions under the Cabinet Secretariat, is headed by the Secretary (Research), and reports to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Like all intelligence organisations, R&AW operates in confidence, so what is publicly known is largely limited to its history, mandate, place in the government and legal status. This explainer covers only those long-established, institutional facts and does not discuss operations or methods.

Key Takeaways

• The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) is India’s external intelligence agency and was formed in September 1968.
• R&AW was created under the leadership of Rameshwar Nath Kao, who served as its first head, by separating external intelligence work from the Intelligence Bureau.
• The formation of R&AW followed the 1962 war with China and the 1965 war with Pakistan, which exposed the need for a dedicated foreign intelligence organisation.
• R&AW is part of the Cabinet Secretariat, is led by the Secretary (Research), and reports to the Prime Minister’s Office.
• R&AW is listed in the Second Schedule of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which exempts it from most disclosure except information on corruption and human rights violations.
• R&AW is an executive organisation with no dedicated founding statute, and its intelligence is assessed alongside inputs from the Intelligence Bureau and other agencies.

What is the Research and Analysis Wing?

The Research and Analysis Wing is the Government of India’s foreign intelligence service, responsible for gathering and analysing information about developments outside India that bear on the country’s security, foreign policy and strategic interests. It is commonly abbreviated as R&AW or RAW, and its head is informally referred to as the R&AW chief.

R&AW supplies assessments to the Prime Minister, the National Security Advisor and senior policymakers. It does not exercise policing powers and does not investigate crimes within India, a role that belongs to the police, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), while domestic intelligence is the job of the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

The agency is one part of a larger intelligence community that includes the Intelligence Bureau, the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and the intelligence directorates of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

When and why was R&AW formed?

R&AW was formed on 21 September 1968, during the prime ministership of Indira Gandhi, after India’s experience in the wars of 1962 and 1965 highlighted gaps in the country’s foreign intelligence capacity. Until then, the Intelligence Bureau handled both domestic and external intelligence.

The 1962 Sino-Indian conflict and the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war led policymakers to conclude that external intelligence needed a separate, specialised organisation. A review of the intelligence arrangements recommended creating a dedicated foreign intelligence agency, and the task of building it was given to R. N. Kao, then a senior Intelligence Bureau officer.

The new agency was placed in the Cabinet Secretariat, which keeps it close to the executive centre of government and administratively distinct from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which supervises the Intelligence Bureau. The timeline below highlights widely known milestones.

Who was R. N. Kao?

Rameshwar Nath Kao, usually known as R. N. Kao, was an Indian intelligence officer who founded R&AW and served as its first head. Born in 1918, he joined the Indian Police in 1940 and later the Intelligence Bureau, where he rose to a senior position before being asked to set up the new agency.

Kao is widely remembered as the architect of the organisation, shaping its structure, personnel policy and early outlook. After leading R&AW until 1977, he later served as a security adviser to the Prime Minister. His role in building the institution is a well-documented part of Indian public history.

What does R&AW do?

R&AW is mandated to collect and analyse intelligence about foreign governments, non-state actors and events abroad that can affect India’s security, and to advise the government on foreign policy and strategic matters. Its broad responsibilities, as described in open sources, can be summarised as follows:

• External intelligence collection: gathering political, military, economic, scientific and security-related information about other countries and regions.
• Analysis and assessment: studying the information gathered and presenting findings to policymakers.
• Counter-terrorism intelligence: monitoring external sources of terrorism and extremism that might threaten India.
• Strategic advice: contributing to the national security process, including the Joint Intelligence Committee’s assessments.
• Liaison with foreign services: maintaining intelligence relations with counterpart agencies abroad, as intelligence services around the world do.

Publicly, R&AW is also known for a few institutional details. Its motto, widely reported in open sources, is the Sanskrit phrase “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah”, often translated as “those who protect righteousness are in turn protected by it”. The organisation includes technical and aviation support arms, of which the Aviation Research Centre (ARC) is the best-known, and it recruits analysts with expertise in foreign languages, regional studies, economics, science and technology.

Specific operations, sources and methods are not part of the public record and are not covered here. The general principle is that the agency serves the elected government, which decides national security policy.

Who heads R&AW and how is the chief appointed?

R&AW is headed by the Secretary (Research), a post in the Cabinet Secretariat usually filled by a senior officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) or another central service, appointed by the Government of India. The Secretary (R) reports to the Prime Minister’s Office and works closely with the National Security Advisor.

The appointment is made by the government, typically on the recommendation of the Cabinet Secretary and with the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The post carries a fixed tenure in recent practice, although extensions have been granted at times. This article does not list current or recent office-holders, since those details change over time.

Below the Secretary (R) are Special Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and other senior officers who manage regional and functional divisions. The organisation draws personnel from several sources, including the Research and Analysis Service (RAS) cadre, officers on deputation from the police, the armed forces and other services, and specialists in technical and language fields.

Where does R&AW fit within the government of India?

R&AW fits within the Cabinet Secretariat, which is administered under the Prime Minister and supports the Union Cabinet, and it reports to the Prime Minister’s Office. This gives R&AW a direct line to the head of government, in contrast to the Intelligence Bureau, which is attached to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

India’s wider security architecture includes the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the National Security Council (NSC), and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which is led by the National Security Advisor. The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), a body inside the NSCS framework, brings together assessments from different agencies, including R&AW, the Intelligence Bureau and military intelligence.

This arrangement means that R&AW is one contributor among several, and its assessments are meant to be combined with other inputs before reaching decision-makers.

What is the difference between R&AW and the Intelligence Bureau?

The key difference is that R&AW deals with intelligence outside India, while the Intelligence Bureau deals with intelligence and counter-intelligence inside India. The Intelligence Bureau, which dates to 1887, handled both functions until R&AW took over external intelligence in 1968.

Both agencies are exempt from the Right to Information Act, and both have been described in public debates as lacking a dedicated statutory charter.

Is R&AW covered by the Right to Information Act?

R&AW is outside the scope of the Right to Information Act, 2005, because it is named in the Second Schedule, which lists organisations exempted under Section 24 of the Act. As a result, citizens cannot ordinarily obtain information from R&AW through RTI applications.

The exemption is not total. The proviso to Section 24 says that information about allegations of corruption and human rights violations cannot be denied on the basis of the exemption. In cases involving human rights violations, the information may be provided only after the approval of the Central Information Commission. These carve-outs are narrow, and the courts and commissions have interpreted them with attention to national security concerns.

How is R&AW overseen?

R&AW is overseen mainly by the executive branch, specifically the Prime Minister, the National Security Advisor and the Cabinet Secretariat, and it does not have a dedicated parliamentary oversight committee. Parliamentary scrutiny of intelligence budgets and activities is limited in comparison with the arrangements in some other democracies.

Several features shape accountability in practice:

• Executive supervision: the agency answers to the Prime Minister’s Office and its funding is approved through the government’s budget process, with confidentiality for sensitive heads.
• Financial audit: government financial rules apply, with special handling for secret service expenditure.
• Review committees: the Kargil Review Committee (1999) and the Group of Ministers (2001) examined the intelligence system as a whole and recommended better coordination.
• Public debate: scholars, former officials and some legislators have called for a legislative framework and an oversight body, and private member’s bills proposing intelligence regulation have been introduced in Parliament.

The government’s position has generally been that intelligence work requires secrecy and flexibility, and that existing executive supervision is adequate.

Why does R&AW matter for national security?

R&AW matters because accurate external intelligence helps India anticipate regional and global developments, prepare diplomatic and defence responses, and protect its citizens and interests abroad. For a country with long land borders, a large maritime zone and significant diaspora and trade links, early warning about external developments is a core requirement of national security planning.

The agency’s role also shows how democracies balance secrecy with accountability. Because R&AW is outside the RTI Act and has no founding statute, public understanding relies on official descriptions, historical accounts and the reports of review committees. Keeping discussion grounded in verified, institutional facts is the best way to follow debates about its governance.

Bottom Line

The Research and Analysis Wing is India’s external intelligence agency, formed in 1968 under R. N. Kao after the wars of 1962 and 1965, functioning under the Cabinet Secretariat and reporting to the Prime Minister’s Office. Its head is the Secretary (Research), it is exempt from the RTI Act, and it is overseen through the executive. Last reviewed: 9 October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is R&AW?

R&AW, the Research and Analysis Wing, is India’s external intelligence agency. It collects and analyses information about foreign developments that affect India’s security and foreign policy. It advises the Prime Minister and other senior policymakers.

When was R&AW formed and by whom?

R&AW was formed on 21 September 1968 under the leadership of R. N. Kao, who became its first head. It was created by separating external intelligence from the Intelligence Bureau. The decision followed the wars of 1962 and 1965.

Under which ministry does R&AW function?

R&AW functions under the Cabinet Secretariat rather than a ministry. It reports to the Prime Minister’s Office. This differs from the Intelligence Bureau, which is attached to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Who is the head of R&AW?

The head of R&AW is the Secretary (Research), often called Secretary (R). The post is a Cabinet Secretariat appointment made by the Government of India. The Secretary (R) works closely with the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Advisor.

Is R&AW under the RTI Act?

No, R&AW is exempt from the Right to Information Act, 2005, as it is listed in the Second Schedule under Section 24. The only exceptions are information about corruption and human rights violations. For human rights matters, disclosure needs the approval of the Central Information Commission.

What is the difference between R&AW and the IB?

R&AW covers intelligence outside India, whereas the Intelligence Bureau covers intelligence inside India. R&AW works under the Cabinet Secretariat and the IB under the Ministry of Home Affairs. R&AW was formed in 1968, while the IB dates back to 1887.

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