Ajit Doval Appointed National Security Advisor (NSA) Again
Ajit Doval, an illustrious and influential figure in India’s national security sphere, has been appointed as National Security Advisor (NSA) for a third time. Doval, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Kerala cadre, who retired as retired as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 2004, after a distinguished career spanning over three decades, was first appointed as the NSA in 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office for the first time in Delhi.
The NSA in India holds a critical and multifaceted role that includes serving as the principal advisor to the Prime Minister on national security and strategic policy, coordinating between various intelligence agencies such as RAW and IB, formulating and implementing national security policies, managing crises, engaging in diplomatic efforts to enhance strategic interests, chairing the National Security Council, overseeing special security projects and covert operations, developing cybersecurity strategies, addressing internal security challenges, and advising on defense procurement and modernization.
Born on January 20, 1945, in Ghiri Banelsyun village in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, Doval has crafted a storied career marked by his strategic acumen, covert operations, and policy-shaping expertise. He completed his early education in Ajmer Military School, followed by a degree in economics from Agra University in 1967. His intellectual prowess and dedication led him to join the IPS in 1968, starting his career in Kerala.
He quickly made a name for himself through his role in several high-stakes situations. One of his most notable early contributions was during the anti-insurgency operations in Mizoram and Punjab, where he displayed remarkable courage and strategic insight. His work in Mizoram was particularly significant; he managed to infiltrate the Mizo National Front, gaining critical intelligence that helped the government quell the insurgency.
Doval’s expertise extends to international intelligence and security affairs, evidenced by his stint as a key Indian intelligence officer in Pakistan. Operating under deep cover, according to various accounts, he successfully gathered valuable intelligence, contributing to India’s strategic posture in the region. His work in Pakistan was part of a broader portfolio of international operations that included significant contributions in Myanmar and the UK. Doval’s experiences abroad honed his understanding of geopolitical dynamics and asymmetric warfare, shaping his approach to national security.
His post-retirement period was characterised by continued engagement in security and strategic affairs, serving as the founder-director of the Vivekananda International Foundation, a think-tank specializing in security and strategic studies.
Appointed as the NSA in 2014, Doval’s role gained prominence in shaping India’s security and strategic policies. He became the first career intelligence officer to hold the post. As NSA, Doval played a pivotal role in orchestrating Kashmir policy that included the revocation of Article 370, India’s counter-terrorism response, strategic military operations, and foreign policy initiatives. He was instrumental in the planning and execution of the surgical strikes across the Line of Control in 2016 and the Balakot airstrikes in 2019, both aimed at neutralizing terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan. However, the unrest and ethnic clashes in Manipur has invited criticism towards Doval as well as the Prime Minister since it started since May 2023.
His comments on civil society in an address during the Passing Out Parade at the Hyderabad-based Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in November 2021was also criticised heavily.
“People are most important. The new frontiers of war — what we call the fourth-generation warfare — is the civil society. War itself has ceased to become an effective instrument for achieving your political or military objectives. They are too expensive and unaffordable,” he had said then.
