The National Security Adviser (NSA) is a high-powered executive post and the chief advisor to the Prime Minister of India on national security policy and international affairs. The post was created on November 19, 1998, by the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as part of establishing the National Security Council (NSC) framework. The creation addressed the lack of an integrated national security architecture and the need for a dedicated, centralized mechanism to provide the Prime Minister with a single, coordinated assessment of threats and opportunities, especially following the Pokhran-II nuclear tests. Brajesh Mishra was the first NSA.
The NSA serves at the discretion of the Prime Minister and is assigned the rank of a Union Cabinet Minister. The NSA's mechanism involves receiving and coordinating all intelligence reports from agencies like the R&AW and IB for presentation to the Prime Minister. The NSA is the secretary of the apex National Security Council (NSC) and heads the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which is the permanent administrative engine. The NSA also chairs the Strategic Policy Group (SPG), the main body for inter-ministerial coordination. The NSA's role connects to foreign policy, as the incumbent also serves as the Prime Minister's Special Interlocutor with China.
A recent change occurred in July 2024 with the appointment of the first Additional National Security Advisor (ANSA), a move intended to make the NSA's role more advisory and less operational by delegating internal security management. Ajit Doval was re-appointed as NSA for a third term, effective from June 10, 2024, ensuring continuity in the office.