Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed two top level security officials , who will directly report to PM on a recommendation of Ex Army Chief V K Singh adn now BJP MP. Mr Ajit Dotarval, will be National Security Advisor. Doval ,63, has worked on India’s important mission during 1980s Operation in Golden Temple and in 1999 during Kandhahar plane hijack for which some top-level militants were freed in exchange of hostages. Doval has been advocating strong actions against militant groups.
National Security was a dream of Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi wants security on borders to be tightened up.
India is also creating a new mountain corps and beefing up border defences, although that initiative has stalled.
But with most foreign troops withdrawing from Afghanistan by the end of this year, India is concerned that militants fighting there will turn their sights towards Kashmir. Doval – 69 – formerly head of the Intelligence Bureau domestic spy agency, will be the National Security Adviser, only the second officer from the intelligence community to hold the post. By contrast, predecessor Shiv Shankar Menon is a member of the elite Indian Foreign Service – an expert on China and nuclear security known for his formidable intellect.
“Terrorism continues to be our main concern and we have to handle it in a holistic manner,” said AS Dulat, a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing, which is charged with external intelligence gathering. “At the end of the day, war is not an option,” he said. “The one thing the new government will focus on is internal security, that’s what worries them most. You don’t want another Mumbai, you don’t have a lot of good options if it happens,” said an official at the Home Ministry.
Pakistan said it remained committed to improving ties with India and that it had got off to a good start. “Whoever is appointed by Modi in his national security team is his own prerogative, and we will certainly not interfere in that,” said Tariq Azeem, a senior official in Nawaz Sharif’s team. “Pakistan will carry on with the determination shown by Nawaz Sharif to build good relations with India. The meeting in Delhi was cordial and friendly and we hope to build on that,” he told local media.
