Govt revamps National Security Advisory Board, appoints Alok Joshi as its Chairman

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday revamped the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), appointing former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Alok Joshi as its Chairman.

The newly reconstituted seven-member board brings together a diverse group of experts with extensive experience across military, intelligence, and diplomatic domains. Among the appointees are retired military officers, including former Western Air Commander Air Marshal PM Sinha, former Southern Army Commander Lt Gen AK Singh, and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna.

The board also includes two retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh, as well as a retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, B Venkatesh Varma, ensuring a comprehensive approach to national security policy formulation.

Alok Joshi’s appointment as Chairman is seen as a strategic move, given his extensive experience in intelligence and external security operations during his tenure at R&AW.

The NSAB, a key component of India’s three-tier national security management system, advises the National Security Council (NSC) on matters of strategic importance.

Alongside the Strategic Policy Group (SPG) and the NSC Secretariat, the NSAB plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s response to both immediate and long-term security threats.