How R&AW First Chief Rameshwar Nath Kao Built India's External Spy Agency
· India · Indian Express
Established in 1968, the Research and Analysis Wing was tasked by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to function as India's first dedicated external intelligence agency. Rameshwar Nath Kao, a former Intelligence Bureau officer, built the organisation from scratch by establishing its institutional culture and operational skills. Under Kao's leadership, the agency successfully provided critical intelligence during the 1971 conflict, including warnings of Pakistani air strikes and the interception of General Yahya Khan's communications. These efforts proved instrumental in India's victory and the subsequent formation of Bangladesh. While Kao remained largely in the shadows, his foundational work shaped the agency's capability to operate at the highest level of national security.
Why it matters
The agency's formation under Kao fundamentally changed India's external intelligence capabilities, providing the strategic groundwork for national security operations that continue to influence regional stability today.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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