The North News
New Delhi, April 30
In a swift move following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, the central government has restructured the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), appointing former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Alok Joshi as its new chairman. The reshuffle was announced after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting at his official residence, convened in response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people dead. The CCS meeting was one of three emergency sessions held at the PM’s residence, alongside the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Those who attended the CCS meeting include Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The revamped NSAB will also include several other high-profile figures from India’s strategic and defence circles, such as B. Venkatesh Varma, former Ambassador to Russia; Air Marshal P.M. Sinha; General A.K. Singh; Rear Admiral Monty Khanna; and Rajiv Ranjan Verma, former DG of RPF. Notably, retired IAS officer Manmohan Singh is also part of the restructured panel. A government briefing is scheduled for 4 pm today, where further details about the board’s mandate and immediate priorities are expected.
