NSA Gets Teeth, Secretariat Put in Government Business Rules

NEW DELHI: The National Security Council Secretariat, which reports to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, has been brought into the government’s Allocation of Business (AOB) rules, thus granting it constitutional recognition and legal authority.

The amendment to government’s rules of business, which was made last month, also gives an official description to the role of National Security Advisor as “the principal advisor on national security matters to the prime minister”. It also makes it clear that the NSCS will be the secretariat for the PM-led National Security Council (NSC).

The NSCS, also called the Rashtriya Suraksha Parishad Sachivalaya, has been enumerated right after NITI Aayog at number 50 in the first schedule of the AOB rules.

Unlike in the case of other departments, the government has refrained from going into any detailed elaboration of the NSCS functions, except stating that it will “assist the National Security Advisor, the principal advisor on national security matters to the PM, and NSC”.

The amendment to the rules, which was done on August 6 when Parliament was debating the withdrawal of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, provides the NSA with a clearer domain and authority.

Doval, who was given cabinet rank status in PM Narendra Modi’s second term, already heads two important bodies – the Strategic Policy Group (SPG), which is to identify long-term threats and priorities as well as the Defence Planning Group that is meant to work to closely with the proposed Chief of Defence Staff on prioritising procurements for all three services.

This move also mainstreams the NSCS and gives it the authority to service the NSC, SPG and even the DPG. It can now generate cabinet notes, access relevant cabinet proposals and partake in inter-ministerial deliberations just like any other government department. Until now, the Cabinet Secretary would have to send out periodic reminders to various ministries to route relevant notes through the NSCS for comments.

The NSCS was formed two decades ago, as an outcome of the elaborate post-Kargil review. It was formed to assist the then newly created NSA’s post and was housed within the cabinet secretariat. In 2002, it was brought under the PMO. The Strategic Policy Group was created then under the cabinet secretary with the NSA as the member.

This was changed last year when Doval was made head of a reconstituted SPG and the NSCS was tasked to service it. Questions were raised on the legal sanctity of the body as both the NSA and NSCS, unlike the cabinet secretary and the cabinet secretariat, were not identified and made part of the government’s rules of business.

The NSCS, however, has expanded hugely over the years, especially under Doval. It now has four broad verticals – strategic affairs, military, internal security as well as foreign and intelligence – headed by either a Deputy NSA or an officer of that seniority. It even sends proposals to the Cabinet after taking special permission, which will now not be needed.

Through this amendment to AOB, the government has firmed up a clear structure for the NSC, which comprises the PM, the home minister, the defence minister, the finance minister and the external affairs minister.

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Source: ET

Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times

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