The Union Government has reconstituted the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), appointing former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Alok Joshi as its new head. The board now comprises seven members, including senior retired officials from the armed forces, Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
The newly inducted members include former Western Air Commander Air Marshal P.M. Sinha, former Southern Army Commander Lt. General A.K. Singh, and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna. Retired IPS officers Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh, along with former diplomat B. Venkatesh Varma, complete the revamped board.
This development follows the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead, including one Nepalese national, and injured several others.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence. The CCS reviewed the situation and discussed the country’s preparedness and strategic response. Sources revealed that cross-border linkages to the attack were presented during the briefing. The attack comes at a time when the Union Territory has been witnessing peaceful elections and signs of economic progress.
Following the CCS meeting, two more high-level meetings were held — the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). A formal cabinet briefing is scheduled for 3:00 PM today.
The CCS had previously met on April 23 and was briefed in detail about the Pahalgam attack, in which 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national were killed. In a strong diplomatic move, the government has announced a series of measures in response, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, sending a clear message to Pakistan against its continued support for cross-border terrorism.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi also chaired a separate security meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs. During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed full confidence in the Indian Armed Forces and reaffirmed their operational freedom to determine the nature, timing, and targets of India’s response.
(With inputs from ANI)
