GUWAHATI: The Centre has restructured the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), appointing former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Alok Joshi as its new chairman. The revamped board features a seven-member panel comprising eminent figures from the military, civil services, and diplomatic corps.
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The reconstituted NSAB includes distinguished former military leaders such as Air Marshal PM Sinha (ex-Western Air Commander), Lt General AK Singh (former Southern Army Commander), and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna. Also on the board are Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh, both retired officers of the Indian Police Service, as well as former Indian Foreign Service officer B Venkatesh Varma.
Functioning as a high-level advisory body, the NSAB consists of experienced individuals from outside the government who specialize in national security. Members typically include retired senior officials, academics, and experts in defence, foreign affairs, technology, economic security, and strategic affairs.
The overhaul of the board comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 people, including one Nepalese citizen, and left many injured. The incident has spurred a flurry of high-level security meetings and decisions.
Following the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence. The CCS, which had last met on April 23, reviewed the cross-border elements of the attack and discussed India's strategic response. Officials noted that the strike followed peaceful elections in the Union Territory and was an apparent attempt to derail progress in the region.
In response, the government announced firm measures, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty as a direct warning to Pakistan for its alleged role in fostering cross-border terrorism.
Alongside the CCS meeting, the Cabinet Committees on Political Affairs (CCPA) and Economic Affairs (CCEA) also met on Wednesday. A detailed cabinet briefing is scheduled for 3 PM.
In a separate security review held earlier this week, PM Modi met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the service chiefs. Sources reported that the Prime Minister reiterated his full trust in the Indian armed forces and assured them complete operational autonomy in planning and executing India’s counter-response.