Best man for the job. NSA Doval is going to oversee the appointment of the Combined Defence Service Chief

As per a latest ET report, under the new security architecture of the Modi government, the National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has been empowered to take a call on key security-related issues across information technology and defence planning to internal security and Intelligence gathering. As per the report, the government has placed key responsibilities upon the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), including reforms in the administration structure. NSA Ajit Doval is also likely to head the implementation committee for setting up the new Combined Defence Services (CDS) chief. This is in line with the responsibilities for handling security-related issues that have been placed on the NSA. The implementation committee which is likely to be headed by NSA Doval will decide upon the area of responsibility for the CDS and will also decide the first officer who will take over the massive responsibility.

In the recent past, NSA Doval has come to occupy the centrestage as far as the country’s defence and security structure and planning is concerned. Last year, the government had notified a Defence Planning Committee (DPC) headed by the NSA that was tasked with drafting a new  national security strategy, a defence diplomacy plan, a strategy to boost the defence manufacturing ecosystem and plans on capacity enhancement and procurement.

Given the high degree of responsibility that has been placed on NSA Doval in the past, it won’t really come as a surprise if he goes on to head the implementation committee for setting up of the CDS. During his Independence Day Speech this year, PM Modi made the much critical and awaited announcement of setting up the post of CDS. According to initial reports CDS will be a ‘first among equals’, a fourth four-star officer who will be senior to the three other service chiefs. Setting up of the CDS is poised to give a huge boost to India’s efforts towards integrating several domains in the India’s security profile into a more synergistic system.

Doval, a 1968-batch IPS officer is known as a master spy in the intelligence circles. He played a crucial role in several major operations. Doval served for a few years in uniform followed by a long career of 33 years as an intelligence officer across sensitive locations such as the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. In an illustrious career in intelligence operations, he had led from the front on several occasions. During his term as an NSA, India witnessed a crucial turn in the way it handled the challenge to national security. He was right on the money from the word go. Ajit Doval has been one of the faces behind India’s aggressive policy at Pakistan border. As India’s National Security Advisor (NSA), he has already proven his worth. During his first tenure, India faced several security challenges which were appropriately tackled with NSA Doval occupying a key position in India’s security apparatus.