THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, April 30: In the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, the Union government has reconstituted the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), appointing former RAW Chief Alok Joshi as its new head. The attack has triggered a series of high-level meetings to reassess national security measures.
The revamped seven-member NSAB now includes a panel of distinguished security and diplomatic experts. Among them are retired military leaders—Air Marshal P.M. Sinha (former Western Air Commander), Lieutenant General A.K. Singh (former Southern Army Commander), and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna.
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The board also features retired IPS officers Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh, as well as former IFS officer B. Venkatesh Varma.
The restructuring was accompanied by an urgent review of the country’s security apparatus. A second Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting was convened at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence today, specifically to address preparedness in light of the Pahalgam incident.
In addition to the CCS, the Prime Minister also chaired meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) at his residence.
A cabinet briefing is expected at 3:00 PM today, likely outlining the government’s strategy in response to the growing security concerns.
Earlier, on April 23, the CCS had been briefed in detail on the Pahalgam attack.
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Alok Joshi, the newly appointed Chairman of the NSAB, is reported to have extensive experience in the field of national security. He served as the chief of RAW from 2012 to 2014. According to reports, he was the Chairman of NTRO from 2015 to 2018.
Experts suggest that under Joshi’s leadership, the board will place special emphasis on cyber security, counter-terrorism strategies, and regional geopolitical challenges.
Chairman Alok Joshi is a 1976 batch IPS officer from the Haryana cadre, with in-depth experience in intelligence operations in Nepal and Pakistan.
