Overview

• Former RAW chief Alok Joshi has been named chairman of the reconstituted National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), which now includes six other retired senior officials from military, police, and diplomatic services.
• The NSAB revamp follows the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali citizen.
• Prime Minister Modi convened high-level Cabinet Committee meetings, granting the armed forces full operational freedom to respond to the attack and discussing retaliatory measures against Pakistan.
• The government is reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty as part of broader retaliatory actions against Pakistan for its alleged support of cross-border terrorism.
• The reconstituted NSAB will provide long-term strategic analysis and policy recommendations to the National Security Council, reflecting a recalibration of India’s security strategy.