National Security Advisory Board revamped

 

 

 

THE Government has revamped the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) -- a move that came amid speculations about India’s possible retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack in view of its cross border linkages. It is learnt that former R&AW chief Alok Joshi has been appointed as NSAB Chairman. The NSAB is an advisory body that provides inputs to the National Security Council Secretariat. The new members appointed to the NSAB are former Western Air Commander Air Marshal PM Sinha, former Southern Army Commander Lt General A K Singh and Rear Admiral (retd) Monty Khanna, sources said. Former diplomat B Venkatesh Varma and retired IPS Rajiv Ranjan Verma have also been appointed to the NSAB as its members, they said.

 

This decision comes in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians, including one Nepalese national, and injured many. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting was convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Wednesday afternoon. Along with the CCS meeting, two additional committee meetings--the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)--were convened at the Prime Minister’s residence. The second CCS meeting discussed security preparedness in the wake of the Pahalgam incident. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) last met on April 23 and was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed. In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out.

 

It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development. The Government had announced a series of measures, including holding the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, in a strong message to Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi chaired a meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs. The sources said PM Modi expressed complete faith and confidence in the professional abilities of the Indian Armed Forces. PM Modi stated that the Indian Armed Forces have complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing of India’s response.