# National Security Advisor (India)

The National Security Advisor (NSA; ISO: Rāṣṭrīya Surakṣā Salāhkār) is the senior official on the National Security Council of India, and the chief advisor to the Prime Minister of India on national security policy and international affairs. In 2019, the term of Ajit Doval the current NSA was extended for another 5-year term, and has been assigned the rank of a Union Cabinet Minister and ranks at the seventh position in the Indian Order of Precedence.

## History

Brajesh Mishra, then Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, was appointed as the first National Security Advisor of India. The post was created on 19 November 1998 by then government headed by Atal Bihari Bajpayee. In 2004, a new government headed by Manmohan Singh was formed at the centre. This government separated the office of NSA into foreign headed by former Foreign Secretary J.N. Dixit and internal headed by former Director, IB M.K. Narayanan. After the death of Dixit in 2005, the office was again fused and Narayanan became the full-time NSA. He was then succeeded by former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon in 2010. In 2014, the Modi-led government appointed former Director, IB Ajit Doval as the NSA.

## Role

The post has high vested powers, so the NSA is a highly prominent and powerful office in the Government of India. All NSAs appointed since the inception of the post in 1998 belong to the either Indian Foreign Service or to the Indian Police Service, and serve at the discretion of the Prime Minister of India.
The National Security Advisor (NSA) is tasked with regularly advising the Prime Minister of India on all matters relating to internal and external threats and opportunities to India, and oversees strategic and sensitive issues on behalf of the Prime Minister. The NSA of India also serves as the Prime Minister's Special Interlocutor with China as well as the envoy to Pakistan and Israel on security affairs.
The NSA receives all intelligence (R&AW, IB, NTRO, MI, DIA, NIA) reports and co-ordinates them to present before the Prime Minister. NSA is assisted by the Deputy National Security Advisors (Deputy NSAs). Currently, retired IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar, former R&AW chief Rajinder Khanna and retired IFS officer Pankaj Saran serve as Deputy National Security Advisors. The policy group is the main mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of inputs in forming national security policies. The group members include the NITI Aayog vice chairman, the cabinet secretary, the three military chiefs, the Reserve Bank of India governor, the foreign secretary, home secretary, finance secretary and the defense secretary.
In June, 2019 NSA Ajit Doval was elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister with a second 5-year term.

## List of National Security Advisors

| No | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Previous Post(s) held | Prime Minister | Additional NSA | Deputy NSA(s) |
| 1 | Brajesh Mishra, IFS | 19 November 1998 | 22 May 2004 | 5 years, 185 days | Permanent Representative to United Nations Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | | (Post created) Satish Chandra |
| 2 | J. N. Dixit, IFS | 23 May 2004 | 3 January 2005 | 225 days | Foreign Secretary | Manmohan Singh | | Vijay K. Nambiar (2004 - 2006) |
| 3 | M. K. Narayanan, IPS | 3 January 2005 | 23 January 2010 | 5 years, 20 days | Director, Intelligence Bureau | Manmohan Singh | | Leela K. Ponappa (May 2007 - October 2009) Shekhar Dutt (27 July 2007 - 2009) Alok Prasad (October 2009 - January 2011) |
| 4 | Shivshankar Menon, IFS | 24 January 2010 | 26 May 2014 | 4 years, 143 days | Foreign Secretary | Manmohan Singh | | Vijaya Latha Reddy (March 2011 - March 2013) Nehchal Sandhu (21 March 2013 - 31 July 2014) |
| 5 | Ajit Doval, IPS | 30 May 2014 | Incumbent (Period Co-terminus with term of Prime Minister) | 10 years, 285 days | Director, Intelligence Bureau | Narendra Modi | Rajinder Khanna (15 July 2024 – Incumbent) | Arvind Gupta (5 August 2014 - 5 August 2017) Pankaj Saran (29 May 2018 - 31 December 2021) R. N. Ravi (5 October 2018 - 31 July 2019) Rajinder Khanna (2 January 2018 – 14 July 2024) Dattatray Padsalgikar (29 October 2019 – 31 October 2023) Vikram Misri (1 Jan 2022–14 July 2024) Pankaj Kumar Singh (18 Jan 2023 –Incumbent) T. V. Ravichandran (15 July 2024 – Incumbent) Pavan Kapoor (15 July 2024 – Incumbent) |