Ajit Doval appointed as India's national security advisor for third consecutive time

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday (13 June) appointed Ajit Doval as his National Security Advisor (NSA) for the third consecutive time, with the rank of cabinet minister for another five years. 

As his first major assignment in Modi 3.0, Doval will be travelling with the PM to Italy on Thursday for the G7 Summit. He also attended a review meeting chaired by the PM on the fire tragedy in Kuwait in which 42 Indians have died and many were injured. 

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Ajit Doval, IPS (Retired) as National Security Adviser with effect from 10 June 2024. His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the prime minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier," a notification issued by the Centre stated.

"During the term of his office, he will be assigned the rank of Cabinet Minister in the Table of Precedence," it added .

Doval, , a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who retired in 2005 as head of India's domestic spy agency, Intelligence Bureau, was Modi's first choice to advise him on security when he first assumed office in May 2014. Since then, Doval has been credited for India's national security policy, right from the handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the recent resurgence of Khalistani activities from certain countries in the West, New Delhi's deepening relationship Arab countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia as well as dealing with Pakistan and China. 

During his two previous stints, India introduced "an element of unpredictability," with Pakistan, with armed forces carrying out cross-border strikes – in 2016 after the terror attack on the Uri Brigade's HQ and the air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in Pakistan after the February Pulawama suicide attack.

A 1968-batch Kerala cadre officer, Doval was the first police officer to be awarded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award for his role in Operation Black Thunder-II, launched to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in 1988. 

Prime Minister's principal secretary PK Mishra has also got an extension. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Dr. P.K. Mishra, IAS (Retired) as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister with effect from 10.06.2024. His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders whichever is earlier....During the term of his office, he will be assigned the rank of Cabinet Minister in the Table of Precedence," says the notification issued by the centre.

Mishra had been working with Modi since he was the chief minister in Gujarat and had been in the PMO since Modi assumed office in 2014.