New Delhi, April 30, 2025 — The Indian government has shaken up its National Security Advisory Board, handing the reins to Alok Joshi, a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing, the country’s shadowy external intelligence agency. The move, announced Wednesday, signals a muscular reboot of the board tasked with shaping India’s response to an increasingly volatile global landscape.
Joshi, a seasoned spymaster who led RAW from 2012 to 2014, steps into the chairman’s role with a mandate to steer the seven-member panel through a maze of threats—think cyberattacks, border tensions, and terror networks that don’t sleep. His appointment isn’t a surprise to those who’ve followed his career. This is a guy who’s navigated the murky waters of espionage, from Pakistan’s backyard to China’s fringes, with a reputation for keeping his cool under pressure.
The revamped board isn’t just Joshi’s show. It’s stacked with heavyweights from India’s military and diplomatic ranks. There’s Air Marshal P.M. Sinha, who once commanded the Western Air Command, bringing airpower chops to the table. Lt. Gen. A.K. Singh, former Southern Army Commander, adds ground-force grit. Rear Adm. Monty Khanna, a naval veteran, rounds out the military trio. Then you’ve got two Indian Police Service officers, Rajiv Verma and Manmohan Singh, both known for their no-nonsense approach to internal security. B. Venkatesh Varma, a former diplomat from the Indian Foreign Service, brings a global lens, having served as ambassador to Russia and Spain.
The board’s job? To cut through the noise and give the National Security Council razor-sharp advice on everything from defense strategy to counterterrorism. It’s a high-stakes gig, especially with India juggling a tense Line of Actual Control with China and a restive border with Pakistan. The government’s decision to overhaul the panel comes on the heels of a string of security challenges, including a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this month that left the nation rattled.
Joshi’s leadership is expected to lean on his RAW playbook—discreet, methodical, and unflinching. During his tenure at the agency, he pushed for better tech-driven intelligence and tighter coordination with foreign counterparts, moves that earned him respect and a few enemies. The government’s bet is that he can bring that same clarity to a board that’s often been more academic than operational.
The announcement, made public through a Ministry of External Affairs release, didn’t spell out why the board needed a facelift or what the old guard was missing. But the timing—smack in the middle of a turbulent 2025—suggests New Delhi isn’t taking chances. The new lineup is leaner, meaner, and packed with field experience, a shift from the board’s earlier mix of think-tank types and bureaucrats.
No word yet on how long Joshi or the others will serve, but the government’s made it clear: this crew’s here to get results. The board’s first meeting is slated for early May, and all eyes are on what they’ll tackle first—whether it’s China’s growing footprint in the Indo-Pacific or the next big terror threat brewing closer to home.
The National Security Advisory Board was reconstituted on April 30, 2025. Alok Joshi, former RAW chief, was appointed chairman. The board includes Air Marshal P.M. Sinha, Lt. Gen. A.K. Singh, Rear Adm. Monty Khanna, IPS officers Rajiv Verma and Manmohan Singh, and IFS officer B. Venkatesh Varma.