Parag Jain has been appointed as the new chief of India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He will take over from Ravi Sinha, who is set to retire on June 30, 2025. Jain, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the 1989 Punjab cadre, will officially begin his two-year term on July 1.
Currently, Parag Jain is the head of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), a key wing of RAW. He has over 20 years of experience within RAW and is considered an expert in counter-terrorism operations. He was also involved in planning ‘Operation Sindoor’, which was praised for its strategic execution.
Jain is known for his deep knowledge of regions like Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is expected to be valuable for India’s intelligence operations. His expertise may help in strengthening efforts against cross-border terrorism. Earlier in his career, he served as SSP of Chandigarh and has represented India in Canada and Sri Lanka. He also played a key role in anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
There has been speculation around his salary and perks. Although the exact figure is not publicly disclosed due to the sensitive nature of the job, reports suggest that the RAW chief earns around Rs 2.5 lakh per month. This is in line with the pay scale of senior-most secretaries in the Indian government under the 7th Pay Commission. The package includes basic pay, dearness allowance (DA), house rent allowance (HRA), and several special allowances.
In addition to the salary, the RAW chief is provided with several facilities, such as official accommodation, a government vehicle, security cover, medical benefits, travel allowances, and other perks related to the nature of the job. Altogether, the total monthly package can go up to Rs 3.5 to 4 lakh.