Shiv Shankar Menon to be new NSA

Former Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon will be Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s new National Security Advisor (NSA). The current NSA, M K Narayanan will step down after five years in office, and take over as the Governor of the state of West Bengal. The new appointment comes at a time when the Home Minister, P Chidambaram, has announced plans to restructure India’s security apparatus. As per the proposed changes he would assume charge of all internal security matters, and external security will be separated from the Home Ministry. It is therefore being speculated by analysts that the new NSA will have a smaller portfolio.

M K Narayanan, who headed the Intelligence Bureau in the late 1980s, was entrusted with all internal and external security issues and intelligence coordination. He had more than a ‘diplomatic’ and advisory role and was involved in policy formulation. Mr Narayanan was also the link between the Nuclear Command Authority and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which means that he could advise the PM on the use of nuclear weapons. This could prove to be a murky area if the NSA’s profile is drastically altered. (“The NCA comprised a Political Council and an Executive Council. The Political Council was chaired by the Prime Minister and ‘is the sole body which can authorise the use of nuclear weapons’, the CCS said. The Executive Council, chaired by the National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, ‘provides inputs for decision making by the NCA and executes the directives given to it by the Political Council’.”)

If Mr Chindambaram’s restructuring plans are implemented, intelligence coordination and internal security issues could be taken away from the NSA’s portfolio. For the Home Ministry to be fully accountable for internal security, intelligence agencies would have to report to it. But that could be contentious as it would mean delinking the PMO and intelligence agencies. Mr Chidambaram plans to pull all intelligence agencies under one roof and make the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) their reporting agency.

According to some reports the new NSA is likely to perform a more ‘diplomatic’ role and concentrate on coordinating foreign and security policy. The proposed front-runner for the post, Shiv Shankar Menon, is one of India’s most prominent diplomat’s. He was previously India’s ambassador to China, Pakistan, Israel and Sri Lanka. He therefore has experience dealing with the two most important countries on Indian foreign policy agenda in the coming years. “A major milestone in his career was the India-US nuclear deal, for which he worked hard to convince the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) nations to get a clean waiver for nuclear supplies to India.” Mr Menon has served also as Alternate Governor on the IAEA Board of Governors. His experience with nuclear issues would be crucial as nuclear dealings could shape India’s relations with many countries in the near future. He enjoys good relations with the Prime Minister and the two are said to have similar views on many foreign policy issues. Mr Menon’s illustrious career indicates that he would be a great asset as the NSA if PM Singh intends to step up India’s foreign policy game to fulfill its aspirations for the future.

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Update: An excellent profile piece about the outgoing NSA, M K Narayanan, by retired Additional Secretary, B Raman.