The Centre has reappointed Ajit Doval, a close confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as national security adviser for a third consecutive term with the rank of cabinet minister for another five years.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Ajit Doval, IPS (Retired) as National Security Adviser with effect from 10.06.2024.
His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” a notification issued by the government on Thursday said.

“During the term of his office, he will be assigned the rank of Cabinet Minister in the Table of Precedence,” it said.

Sources in the security establishment said Doval’s reappointment as NSA for the next five years showed Modi’s unflinching faith in him.

Doval was blamed by the Opposition for the intelligence failure that led to the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF troops were killed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway after a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber attacked a convoy of the paramilitary force.

Later, the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on Balakot, Pakistan, with Doval said to be behind the planning.

Doval was one of the senior people in the government involved in the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

The Prime Minister’s principal secretary, P.K. Mishra, a retired Gujarat-cadre IAS officer and one of Modi's most trusted aides, too has received a five-year extension.

Mishra has been working with Modi from the time he was chief minister of Gujarat and has been in the PMO since Modi assumed office in 2014.

"During the term of his office, he (Mishra) will be assigned the rank of Cabinet Minister in the Table of Precedence," said the notification.

The appointments committee of the cabinet has also approved the reappointment of Amit Khare and Tarun Kapoor as advisers to the PM in the PMO for two years with effect from June 10 "in the rank and scale of Secretary to Government of India".