In an announcement made today, The Govt of India appointed Shri Alok Joshi IPS (Retd. (Haryana 1976), former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), as its new Chairman of National Security Advisory Board (NSAB). This comes in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians, including one Nepalese national, and injured many, heightening tensions with Pakistan. The move is seen as a response to strengthen India’s national security framework amid speculations of possible retaliation due to the attack’s cross-border linkages.
The National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) is an advisory body that provides strategic and long-term analysis on national security issues to the National Security Council (NSC). Established in 1998, the NSAB comprises eminent experts from outside the government, including retired military officers, intelligence officials, diplomats, academics, and civil society specialists. Its primary role is to conduct in-depth assessments of emerging threats, such as terrorism, cybersecurity, and geopolitical challenges, and to recommend policy options and solutions to the NSC. The NSAB is not a policy-making body but serves as a think tank to support the government’s security and defense strategies, reporting regularly to the National Security Advisor (NSA).
The reconstituted National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) is a seven-member body. It will be chaired by Alok Joshi, the retired IPS officer from Haryana, brings with him an extensive experience in counter-terrorism and intelligence, including a prior role as R&AW Station Chief in Nepal. The other six new members of the board are; the military will be represented by three retired officers- Air Marshal P M Sinha, former Western Air Commander; Lieutenant General A K Singh, former Southern Army Commander; and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, a veteran of the Navy. The police service is represented by two retired IPS officers, Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh. Completing the board is B Venkatesh Varma, a retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and former diplomat.
IndianBureaucracy.com wishes all the officers the very best.