National Security Advisor to chair Strategic Planning Group
iasparliament
October 25, 2018
What is the issue?
The National Security Advisor (NSA) will now chair the Strategic Planning Group (SPG) as well, with Cabinet Secretary only as its member.
The decision reflects a lack of understanding of the nature and complexity of security challenges the country faces.
What is the existing security architecture?
Soon after India became a nuclear-weapon state in May 1998, the national security architecture underwent a significant change.
At the apex, a National Security Council (NSC) was set up with the Prime Minister (PM) as the chairman.
Its permanent members included ministers of home, defence, external affairs and finance.
The NSC was provided with a secretariat.
A new post of National Security Advisor (NSA - currently Mr. Ajit Doval) was created to serve as the Secretary of the NSC.
In addition, a Strategic Planning Group (SPG) was established under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary.
The SPG included
all the key secretaries to the government
the three armed forces chiefs
the head of the external intelligence (R&AW)
the Director of the Intelligence Bureau
A National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) was also set up.
It comprised of a number of retired civil and military officials, and it had direct access to the PM.
After the Kargil war in 1999, a Defence Intelligence Agency was set up to coordinate military-related intelligence.
Also, a Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) was set up to manage India’s nuclear weapon arsenal.
In essence, the stress was on providing political leadership with multiple sources of information on security issues.
How is the NSA's role evolving?
The role of the NSA was that of a key advisor to the government on longer-term strategic issues.
The NSA did not have a say in the day-to-day security issues.
However, in recent years, the NSA, by virtue of location in the PM’s Office, has become an influential figure.
This remains the case even though there is no constitutional sanction for the post.
The NSA’s responsibilities have been expanded sharply.
He now chairs the Defence Planning Group, with responsibility for military planning, even as the NSAB’s role has been downgraded.
Further, the role of the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, too, has been downgraded.
The NSA is also the head of the Executive Council of the NCA.
So in essence, the political leadership will have intelligence inputs and security assessments processed at the level of NSA.
What is the concern now?
The inadequate response to the 2008 Mumbai terror attack is to be noted in this regard.
In this case, ad hoc decisions were taken, and no single individual could manage such diverse and fast-changing situations.
Given this, the increased reliance on the NSA raises serious questions as NSA is merely an advisor.
If he goes wrong, it is unclear where the accountability would lie.
Also, there might not be an opportunity for dissenting opinions being placed.
It is thus essential for the government to realise that even a highly centralised state could not afford to have a singular channel for the flow of such critical information.
