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National Security Advisor
Context: The appointment of a new Additional National Security Advisor (ANSA) has raised concern about adding a new bureaucratic layer to already complex national security architecture.
About NSA
- The National Security Advisor (NSA) of India is the senior official on the National Security Council and the principal advisor to the Prime Minister on national security and international affairs.
- Ajit Doval, the current NSA, holds the rank equivalent to a Union Cabinet Minister.
- NSA is assisted by three Deputy National Security Advisers and now Additional NSA .
- Since its inception in 1998, all NSAs have been from either the Indian Foreign Service or the Indian Police Service, serving at the Prime Minister’s discretion.
Role of the NSA
- Advises the Prime Minister on internal and external threats, as well as strategic opportunities for India.
- Coordinates intelligence reports from agencies like RAW, IB, National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), Defence Intelligence Agency, Military Intelligence and National Investigation Agency (NIA), and presents them to the Prime Minister.
- NSA leads the policy group National Security Council, which integrates inter-ministerial inputs to formulate national security policies.
Concerns
- Multiple power centre: While the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the three service chiefs, and the Union defence, home, foreign, and other secretaries report to the NSA, they also report to their respective ministers in their daily functions.
- No clear guideline for appointment: The absence of clear criteria, qualifications, duties, and chain of command for the NSA post leaves it uncertain whether a diplomat, intelligence officer, soldier, or scholar should be appointed.
- Kargil Review Committee’s Recommendation ignored: Chaired by K. Subrahmanyam recommended that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) report directly to the Prime Minister.
- However, the political leadership has undermined this by granting the NSA a cabinet rank while the CDS holds only a secretary rank, which is seen as a disservice to the armed forces.
- Powerless National Security Council (NSC): The National Security Council (NSC) set up in 1998 almost never meets, primarily because it is an advisory body, with the Cabinet Committee on Security being the executive body.
National security Architecture
National Security Council (NSC):
Established by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on November 19, 1998, the NSC advises the Prime Minister’s Office on national security and strategic interests. Previously, these tasks were managed by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Members of the NSC:
- National Security Adviser
- Deputy National Security Advisers
- Ministers of Defence, External Affairs, Home, and Finance
- Vice Chairman of the NITI Aayog
The Prime Minister can chair NSC meetings and include other members as necessary.
