The Narendra Modi government has made key changes to National Security  Council Secretariat (NSCS) with promotion of deputy NSA Rajinder Khanna to Additional NSA and appointing Special Director of Intelligence Bureau TV Ravichandran as Deputy NSA.

“Now NSA Ajit Doval is free to assist PM Modi fully and other issues concerning internal security would be handled by Additional NSA,” a senior functionary in the government told NDTV.

According to the official, Mr Khanna’s elevation is also aimed at maintaining continuity in the national security framework.

“With DIB Tapan Deka given an extension for a year, government has tried to rehabilitate TV Ravichandran as Deputy NSA,” the official told NDTV.

Mr Khanna, a 1978-batch officer of the Research and Analysis Wing Service (RAS), served as the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief from December 2014 to December 2016. Earlier, he was in charge of the operations desk at the agency and is recognised for his expertise in Pakistan and counter-terrorism.

Appointed as deputy NSA in January 2018, Mr Khanna previously led the Technology and Intelligence (T&I) section.

Special Director Ravichandran in the Intelligence Bureau has been appointed deputy NSA.  

Mr Ravichandran, a 1990 batch officer, is currently serving as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau, looking after South India. He was to retire in August 2024.

The other deputy NSA is Pankaj Singh, who was appointed for the post in January 2023 for two years.

Recently Vikram Misri, a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, was appointed as Foreign Secretary. He will succeed Vinay Kwatra, who is likely to be appointed as India’s ambassador to the US.

Jawed Ashraf, Indian ambassador in Paris, is expected to succeed Misri as Deputy NSA.

The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), overseen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, operates with NSA Ajit Doval as its secretary, serves as the apex body for all matters concerning internal and external security.