Who is Alok Joshi, former RAW chief, now appointed head of revamped NSA Board after Pahalgam terror attack?

Days after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Union government has revamped the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB). Alok Joshi, a former Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has been appointed as the head of the NSAB. This decision comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting at his residence in New Delhi on Wednesday. Six more members have also been inducted into the NSA board.

The other six members include former Western Air Commander Air Marshal PM Sinha, former Southern Army Commander Lieutenant General AK Singh, and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, all retired military officers. Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh are the two retired members of the Indian Police Service (IPS). B Venkatesh Varma is a retired IFS officer in the seven-member board.

Who is Alok Joshi?

Alok Joshi is a former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He has now been appointed as the head of National Security Advisory Board (NSAB). He hails from Lucknow and graduated from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) with a postgraduate degree in political science. Joshi joined the Indian Police Service (IPS), Haryana cadre in 1976, reports suggest. He rose through his ranks and later in 2005 became the joint director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). In 2010, he was appointed as a Special Secretary at R&AW. He took over as RAW Secretary in 2012.

What is National Security Advisory Board?

It is a multi-disciplinary body comprising persons of eminence from outside government. Its principal function is to provide long-term analysis to the National Security Council and recommend solutions and policy options for the issues raised by it.

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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 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. Earlier on Tuesday, PM 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.

(With inputs from ANI)