Context:
A 55-year-old man posing as an officer of intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) was recently arrested after the suspect was caught intimidating locals.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW):
- R&AW was established in 1968 with the primary role of handling India’s international intelligence affairs. The agency operates under the Prime Minister’s Office.
- R&AW’s operations encompass gathering military, economic, scientific, and political intelligence through both covert and overt methods.
- The agency is also tasked with monitoring and combating terrorist activities and smuggling networks involved in the illegal transport of weapons and ammunition into India.
- Initially, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) was tasked with both internal and external intelligence. However, post the 1962 Sino-Indian war and the Indo-Pakistani war in 1965, the need for a dedicated external intelligence agency led to the formation of R&AW.
- Since its inception, R&AW has played a crucial role in supporting significant international operations and enhancing India’s foreign intelligence capabilities.
-Source: Hindustan Times
