After Pahalgam Carnage, India Revamps Security Board and Signals Tough Response

In the wake of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including one Nepali national, the Indian government has reconstituted the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) to bolster its strategic apparatus. Former RAW chief Alok Joshi has been appointed chairman of the newly formed seven-member board.

The revamped NSAB includes a distinguished panel of retired military and civil service leaders. Among them are Air Marshal PM Sinha, Lt General AK Singh, Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, former IPS officers Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh, and ex-IFS officer B Venkatesh Varma. The board, comprising national security experts from outside the government, advises on internal and external threats, defence, foreign policy, technology, and economic security.

The overhaul follows a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting, which included NSA Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and top military leadership, reviewed India’s security posture and preparedness. Sources indicated that Modi reaffirmed his full confidence in the armed forces, granting them operational freedom to determine India’s response — including timing and targets.

The CCS was also briefed on the cross-border linkages of the Pahalgam attack, believed to have been orchestrated with support from Pakistan. In response, the government has suspended the Indus Water Treaty, marking a significant diplomatic shift. Additional meetings of the Cabinet Committees on Political and Economic Affairs were also held to coordinate the broader response.