Top 10 Greatest Achievements of India’s Secret Agency RAW

Top 10 Greatest Achievements of India’s Secret Agency RAW

By :Vijesh Nair

Date :21/12/2025

The Top 10 Greatest Achievements That Changed History: Indian Secret Agency RAW India’s national security does not depend only on soldiers at the border.  Behind every successful military move, diplomatic victory, and national crisis response, there is a silent force working in the shadows — RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).

 RAW is India's external intelligence agency, having been established in 1968. It operates quietly, but its impact on India’s security and global standing is massive.  Most of its operations are classified, yet many achievements have become public over time.

 In this article, we explore the top 10 best achievements of India’s secret agency RAW that shaped India’s history and protected the nation.

 1.  Bangladesh's founding (1971) RAW played a historic role in the creation of Bangladesh during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

 Key Contributions:

 fighters with Mukti Bahini training gathered information about the movements of the Pakistani military. aided in lowering the morale of the adversary This operation led to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers, one of the largest military surrenders in history.

 This is widely regarded as RAW's crowning achievement. 2.  Smiling Buddha Operation (1974) RAW played a crucial intelligence role in India’s first nuclear test at Pokhran.

 Achievements:

 Kept the nuclear program secret from foreign intelligence agencies

 International surveillance systems that were misled Ensured zero intelligence leaks

 India increased national security by becoming nuclear-capable, surprising the world. 3.  Foiling Terror Plots Inside India

 By gathering ahead of time information from other countries, RAW has prevented hundreds of terror attacks. Impact:

 Early warnings to security agencies

 Tracking terror financing networks

 determining the sleeper cells Most of these successes never reach the media, but they save countless lives.

 4.  Support for Kargil War Intelligence RAW provided crucial information regarding the infiltration of Pakistanis during the Kargil conflict. RAW’s Role:

 uncovered hostile positions Confirmed Pakistan Army involvement

 Supplied real-time data to Indian forces

 This intelligence helped India reclaim strategic peaks successfully.

 5.  Counter-Terror Operations Against ISI

 RAW has successfully neutralized multiple ISI-backed terror networks operating in South Asia.

 Achievements:

 Disrupted cross-border terror funding

 uncovered phony NGOs and fronts Monitored extremist groups abroad

 These efforts weakened terror infrastructure targeting India.

 6.  Operation Cactus – Maldives Coup (1988)

 During Operation Cactus, when Indian forces stopped a Maldives coup attempt, RAW provided intelligence support. Results:

 Protected the elected Maldivian government

 Prevented foreign mercenaries from taking power

 Strengthened India’s regional dominance

 India emerged as a reliable security partner in the Indian Ocean region.

 7.  Monitoring China and Pakistan Activities

 RAW closely tracks Chinese military movements and Pakistan’s strategic plans.

 Intelligence Areas:

 Border infrastructure developments

 Military exercises

 Space and cyber activities India is better prepared militarily and diplomatically with this intelligence. 8.  Tracking Khalistan and Extremist Movements

 RAW played a major role in tracking and weakening Khalistan extremist networks operating from foreign countries.

 The Key Steps: monitoring of extremist leaders Intelligence sharing with friendly nations

 Blocking funding channels

 This reduced the threat of separatist violence in India.

 9.  Securing India’s Space and Missile Programs

 ISRO missions and missile development programs are kept secret by RAW. Achievements:

 prevented sabotage from outside Protected scientists and facilities

 Ensured secure technology transfers

 India’s success in space and defense is partly due to RAW’s silent protection.

 10.  Strategic Intelligence for Diplomatic Success

 RAW provides strategic intelligence to Indian leadership before major diplomatic decisions.

 Examples:

 International treaty negotiations

 Defense partnerships

 Crisis management decisions

 This intelligence strengthens India’s global position without firing a single bullet.

 Why RAW Is One of the World’s Best Secret Agencies

 Operates silently with minimal exposure

 Despite having limited resources, high success rate Strong human intelligence network

 Deep understanding of regional geopolitics

 Unlike agencies that seek publicity, RAW believes in results, not recognition.

 Conclusion

 Not only is RAW an intelligence agency, but it also serves as a shield for the 1.4 billion Indians. Its achievements have shaped wars, saved lives, and secured India’s future.

 While many operations will remain secret forever, the known achievements prove one thing clearly:

 One of the world's most respected and effective intelligence agencies is RAW.

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