{{Short description|Executive officer of the Indian National Security Council}} {{Infobox official post | post = National Security Advisor | body = India | native_name = ''Rāṣṭrīya Surakṣā Parāmarśadātā'' | flag = Flag of India.svg | flagsize = 100px | flagborder = yes | insignia = Emblem of India.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert | insigniasize = 50px | flagcaption = [[Flag of India]] | insigniacaption = [[Emblem of India]] | appointer = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC) | image = National Security Advisor of India Ajit Kumar Doval.jpg | incumbent = [[Ajit Doval]], [[Kirti Chakra|KC]] | incumbentsince = 30 May 2014 | inaugural = [[Brajesh Mishra]], [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]] | formation = {{Start date and age|1999|11|19|df=y}} by [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] | member_of = {{plainlist| * [[Defence Planning Committee]] (Chairperson) * [[National Security Council (India)|Strategic Policy Group]] (Chairperson) * [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]] (Secretary) }} | deputy = {{plainlist| * [[Rajinder Khanna]], [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] (Additional NSA) * [[T. V. Ravichandran]], [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] * [[Pavan Kapoor]], [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]] * [[Anish Dayal Singh]], [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] }} | type = National Security Advisor | status = Chief advisor to the Prime Minister of India on national security policy and international affairs | abbreviation = NSA | department = [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council Secretariat]] (NSCS) | salary = {{INRConvert|162500|lk=on}} {{Small|(monthly)}} | seat = Seva Teerth<br>[[New Delhi]], [[Delhi]], [[India]] | termlength = {{raise|0.0em|No fixed term}} | residence = Bungalow 5, [[Janpath|Janpath Road]], [[New Delhi]] }} {{Politics of India}} The '''National Security Advisor''' ('''NSA''') is the senior official on the [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]] [[India|of the Republic of India]], and the chief advisor to the [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister of the Republic of India]] on [[national security]] policy and [[international affairs]]. [[Ajit Doval]] is the current NSA, serving since May 2014. The NSA is assigned the rank of a [[Union Council of Ministers|Union Cabinet Minister]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Ajit Doval Stays As NSA, Gets Cabinet Rank With 5-Year Term |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ajit-doval-continues-as-national-security-adviser-given-cabinet-rank-will-have-5-year-tenure-news-ag-2047106 |access-date=23 February 2023 |work=NDTV.com}}</ref> and ranks seventh in the [[Order of precedence in India|Indian Order of Precedence]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roche |first1=Elizabeth |title=Mr Ajit Doval to stay as NSA, gets cabinet rank with 5-year term |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/ajit-doval-reappointed-national-security-advisor-in-modi-2-0-given-cabinet-rank-1559553527501.html |access-date=23 February 2023 |work=mint |date=3 June 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
== History == [[Brajesh Mishra]], then [[Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India|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 Vajpayee|Atal Bihari vajpayee]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh|first=Hemant|date=2019-08-12|title=List of National Security Advisor in India|url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-national-security-advisor-in-india-1565602684-1|access-date=2021-02-17|website=Jagranjosh.com}}</ref> 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 (India)|Foreign Secretary]] [[J.N. Dixit]] and ''internal'' headed by former [[Director of the Intelligence Bureau|Director, IB]] [[M. K. Narayanan|M.K. Narayanan]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2004-05-27|title=JN Dixit Is NSA|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/jn-dixit-is-nsa/106590/|access-date=2021-02-17|website=The Financial Express}}</ref> After the death of Dixit in 2005, the office was again fused and Narayanan became the full-time NSA.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2011-03-15|title=25259: After Dixit, India ponders role of its NSA and who will get the job|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/the-cables/25259-After-Dixit-India-ponders-role-of-its-NSA-and-who-will-get-the-job/article14669690.ece|access-date=2021-02-17|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> He was then succeeded by former [[Foreign Secretary (India)|Foreign Secretary]] [[Shivshankar Menon]] in 2010.<ref name=":0" /> In 2014, following the election of [[Narendra Modi]] as the Prime Minister, [[Ajit Doval]], former Director of the Intelligence Bureau, was appointed as the NSA.
==Office of the NSA== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:60%; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; border:2px solid black; border-collapse: collapse;"
! style="background-color:#f2f2f2; font-size:110%;" | Position ! style="background-color:#f2f2f2; font-size:110%;" | Officer ! style="background-color:#f2f2f2; font-size:110%;" | Service
|- | '''National Security Advisor'''<br>(NSA) | [[Ajit Doval]] | [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]<br>{{small|(Retired)}}
|- | '''Additional<br>National Security Advisor'''<br>(Addl. NSA) | [[Rajinder Khanna]] | [[Research & Analysis Service|RAS]]<br>{{small|(Retired)}}
|- | rowspan="3" | '''Deputy<br>National Security Advisors'''<br>(Dy. NSA) | [[T. V. Ravichandran]] | [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]<br>{{small|(Retired)}}
|- | [[Pavan Kapoor]] | [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]]
|- | [[Anish Dayal Singh]] | [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]<br>{{small|(Retired)}}
|}
==Role== The post of the NSA has high vested powers, and as such it 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 ([[Research and Analysis Wing|R&AW]], [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|IB]], [[National Technical Research Organisation|NTRO]], [[Defence Intelligence Agency (India)|DIA]], [[National Investigation Agency|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 [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] officer [[Dattatray Padsalgikar]], former [[Research and Analysis Wing|R&AW]] chief [[Rajinder Khanna]] and retired [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]] officer [[Pankaj Saran]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 May 2018|others=Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Government of India|title=ACC Approvals|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=179609|access-date=2021-09-06|website=pib.gov.in}}</ref> serve as Deputy National Security Advisors.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/former-raw-chief-rajinder-khanna-appointed-deputy-nsa/story-Z2nppYxg0zmI9PybT3hEwM.html|title=Former RAW chief Rajinder Khanna appointed deputy NSA|date=January 2, 2018|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/former-raw-chief-rajinder-khanna-appointed-deputy-national-security-Advisor-1795007|title=Former RAW Chief Rajinder Khanna Appointed Deputy National Security Advisor|date=January 3, 2018|website=[[NDTV]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref> The [[Strategic Policy Group]] (SPG) 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 Defence Secretary.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sharma|first=Neeta|date=9 October 2018|title=With New Order, NSA Ajit Doval To Be Most Powerful Bureaucrat In 20 Years|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/with-new-order-national-security-advisor-ajit-doval-to-be-most-powerful-bureaucrat-in-20-years-1928924|access-date=2021-09-06|website=NDTV}}</ref>
In June, 2019 NSA [[Ajit Doval]] was elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister with a second 5-year term.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/ajit-doval-reappointed-national-security-advisor-in-modi-2-0-given-cabinet-rank-1559553527501.html|title=Ajit Doval to stay as NSA, gets cabinet rank with 5-year term|last=Roche|first=Elizabeth|date=2019-06-03|website=Livemint|language=en|access-date=2020-04-26}}</ref> On 10 June 2024, he began his third term, again with the rank of Cabinet Minister.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=13 June 2024 |title=Ajit Doval Reappointed NSA, PK Mishra to Stay Principal Secretary To PM |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ajit-dovals-tenure-as-national-security-advisor-extended-5882199 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250826135957/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ajit-dovals-tenure-as-national-security-advisor-extended-5882199 |archive-date=2025-08-26 |access-date=2025-12-09 |work=NDTV |language=en}}</ref> The position is "coterminous with the term of the Prime Minister, or until further orders, whichever is earlier".<ref name=":4" />
==List of National Security Advisors== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;" ! No ! Name ! Portrait ! colspan="3" | Term of office ! Previous Post(s) held ! [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] !Additional NSA !Deputy NSA(s) |- align=centre | 1 | [[Brajesh Mishra]],{{Efn|Concurrently served as the 9th [[Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India]].}} [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]] | [[File:The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan award to Shri Brajesh Chandra Mishra, at an Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 24, 2011 (cropped).jpg|75px]] | 19 November 1998 | 22 May 2004 |{{age in years and days|1998|11|19|2004|5|22}} | *[[Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations|Permanent Representative to United Nations]] *[[Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India|Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister]] | [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] | |''(Post created)'' * [[Satish Chandra (diplomat)|Satish Chandra]]<ref name=":2" /> |- align=centre | 2 | [[J. N. Dixit]], [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]] | [[File:Shri_J.N._Dixit_in_New_Delhi_on_May_27,_2004_(cropped).jpg|75px]] | 23 May 2004 | 3 January 2005 |{{age in years and days|2004|5|23|2005|1|3}} |[[Foreign Secretary of India|Foreign Secretary]] |rowspan=3| [[Manmohan Singh]] | | * [[Vijay K. Nambiar]] (2004 - 2006)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Chaudhury|first=Nilova Roy|date=2007-04-19|title=Leela K Ponappa appointed Deputy NSA|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/leela-k-ponappa-appointed-deputy-nsa/story-6kB0LWz6RYF0jt0oXk1qzK.html|access-date=2021-09-06|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> |- align=centre | 3 | [[M. K. Narayanan]], [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] | [[File:Mayankote Kelath Narayanan - Kolkata 2013-01-07 2702 Cropped.JPG|75px]] | 3 January 2005 | 23 January 2010 |{{age in years and days|2005|1|3|2010|1|23}} | [[Director of the Intelligence Bureau|Director, Intelligence Bureau]] | | * Leela K. Ponappa (May 2007 - October 2009)<ref name=":2" /> * [[Shekhar Dutt]] (27 July 2007 - 2009)<ref>{{Cite web|date=27 July 2007|title=Shekhar Dutt appointed Deputy National Security Advisor|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/shekhar-dutt-appointed-deputy-national-security-advisor/491304|access-date=2021-09-06|website=Outlook India}}</ref> * Alok Prasad (October 2009 - January 2011)<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 October 2009|title=IFS Officer Alok Prasad appointed as Dy NSA|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/29426/ifs-officer-alok-prasad-appointed.html|access-date=2023-04-17|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> |- align=centre | 4 | [[Shivshankar Menon]],<ref name=":0">{{cite news|date=21 January 2010|title=Menon is next NSA|work=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article84408.ece|access-date=6 September 2021}}</ref> [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]] | [[File:Msc2011 SZ 004 Menon (cropped).jpg|75px]] | 24 January 2010 | 26 May 2014 |{{age in years and days|2010|1|3|2014|5|26}} |[[Foreign Secretary of India|Foreign Secretary]] | | * Vijaya Latha Reddy (March 2011 - March 2013)<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|date=18 December 2012|title=Outgoing Intelligence Bureau Director Nehchal Sandhu appointed as Deputy National Security Advisor|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/outgoing-intelligence-bureau-director-nehchal-sandhu-appointed-as-deputy-national-security-advisor/articleshow/17657744.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2021-09-06}}</ref> * Nehchal Sandhu (21 March 2013 - 31 July 2014)<ref name=":3" /> |- align=centre | 5 | [[Ajit Doval]], [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] | [[File:Ajit Kumar Doval.jpg|75px]] | 30 May 2014 | '''''Incumbent''''' (Period Co-terminus with term of [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]) |{{age in years and days|2014|5|30}} | [[Director of the Intelligence Bureau|Director, Intelligence Bureau]] | [[Narendra Modi]] |[[Rajinder Khanna]] (15 July 2024 – ''Incumbent'') | * [[Arvind Gupta (administrator)|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)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Haidar |first1=Suhasini |title=Former China envoy Vikram Misri appointed Deputy NSA |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ex-china-envoy-vikram-misri-appointed-deputy-nsa/article38050540.ece |access-date=28 December 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=27 December 2021 |language=en-IN}}</ref> * [[Pankaj Kumar Singh]]<ref>{{cite news |title=BSF Ex-DG Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed Deputy NSA |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bsf-ex-dg-pankaj-kumar-singh-appointed-deputy-nsa/articleshow/97078404.cms |access-date=21 January 2023 |work=Times of India |date=18 January 2023 |language=en-IN}}</ref> (18 January 2023 – 31 January 2025 ) * [[T. V. Ravichandran]] (15 July 2024 – ''Incumbent'') * [[Pavan Kapoor]] (15 July 2024 – ''Incumbent'') * [[Anish Dayal Singh]] (25 August 2025 – ''Incumbent'') |}
==See also== {{commons category|National Security Advisors of India}} * [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]] * [[Secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing]] * [[Director of Intelligence Bureau]]
== Notes == {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Military of India}}
[[Category:Indian government officials]] [[Category:1999 establishments in India]]