Ajit Doval Re-appointed as India's National Security Advisor; PK Mishra as Principal Secretary to PM Modi

On Thursday, the Indian government announced the re-appointment of Ajit Doval as the national security advisor (NSA). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet also extended PK Mishra's tenure as the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Who is Ajit Doval
Ajit Doval, born in Uttarakhand in 1945, is a retired officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) from the Kerala cadre. He has served as both an intelligence and law enforcement officer in India. Notably, he was recognized with the Kirti Chakra, a prestigious gallantry award for military personnel, making him the youngest police officer in India to receive this honor for meritorious service.

Beginning his police career in 1968 as an IPS officer, Ajit Doval participated actively in anti-insurgency operations in Mizoram and Punjab. His pivotal role as one of the three negotiators in the 1999 release of passengers from the hijacked IC-814 in Kandahar underscored his expertise. Notably, he successfully managed the resolution of at least 15 hijackings involving Indian Airlines aircraft between 1971 and 1999.