In News:

The Government of India has reconstituted the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) with former R&AW chief Alok Joshi appointed as its Chairman. The move comes in the backdrop of increasing national security threats, including the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which prompted a series of high-level security meetings chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What is NSAB?

The NSAB is an advisory body functioning under the National Security Council (NSC). It offers independent, long-term strategic assessments and policy recommendations on national security issues.

• Established: December 1998, under NSA Brajesh Mishra
• Parent Body: National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS)
• Associated Bodies:
  • National Information Board (NIB)
  • Technology Coordination Group (TCG)

Composition of the Newly Reconstituted Board (2025)

• Chairman: Alok Joshi (Former R&AW Chief)
• New Members Include:
  • Military:
    • Air Marshal P.M. Sinha (ex-Western Air Commander)
    • Lt Gen A.K. Singh (ex-Southern Army Commander)
    • Rear Admiral Monty Khanna
  • Police:
    • Rajiv Ranjan Verma (Retd IPS)
    • Manmohan Singh (Retd IPS)
  • Diplomacy:
    • B. Venkatesh Varma (Retd IFS, ex-Ambassador to Russia)

Current NSAB Strength: 16 members, including military veterans, diplomats, academics, and civil society experts.

Functions and Objectives

• Provide non-partisan, long-term strategic inputs to the National Security Council.
• Recommend policy measures on defence, diplomacy, cyber security, and internal security.
• Assist in drafting key national security documents:
  • Nuclear Doctrine (2001)
  • National Security Review (2007)
• Hold monthly or emergency meetings to assess national and global threats.
• Submit independent reports to the NSA for evidence-based policy making.
• Act as a bridge between the strategic community and the government.