Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) Rajinder Khanna has been appointed as additional NSA while Intelligence Bureau special director T.V. Ravichandran was appointed as deputy NSA. This is the first time someone has been appointed additional NSA, a post that always existed but remained vacant, said government sources.
Khanna, a 1978-batch IPS officer of Odisha cadre, served as the R&AW chief from December 2014 to December 2016. Before that, he also led the operations desk in the R&AW and is known to be an expert on Pakistan and terrorism. Khanna was appointed deputy NSA in January 2018 and headed the T&I section, i.e., the Technology and Intelligence section. Asked why he was appointed the additional NSA, sources said it was to ensure continuity in the national security structure.
Meanwhile, Ravichandran has been appointed as deputy NSA replacing Khanna, who was appointed foreign secretary last month. Another post of deputy NSA will fall vacant on 15 July, when Vikram Misri takes over as foreign secretary.
The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with NSA Ajit Doval acting as its secretary, and it is the apex body on all internal and external security-related matters. Doval has had three deputy chiefs under him — besides former deputy chiefs Khanna and Misri, there is also retired IPS officer Pankaj Singh, who looks after internal security.
