New Delhi, Aug 24 – Anish Dayal Singh has been appointed as the new deputy National Security Advisor (NSA), focusing on internal affairs, according to official sources. Singh, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Manipur cadre, retired from service in December 2024.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Singh previously led the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). In his new role as deputy NSA, he will oversee internal security matters, including issues related to Jammu and Kashmir, Naxal insurgency, and challenges in the Northeastern region.

Rajinder Khanna, a former RAW chief, serves as the Additional NSA, while retired IPS officer TV Ravichandran and former IFS officer Pawan Kapoor are the current deputy NSAs.

During his tenure as CRPF chief, Singh played a pivotal role in several initiatives, including efforts to combat Naxalism, establishing over three dozen forward operating bases, and introducing four new battalions in areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism. He also managed the CRPF’s security operations during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh initiated a comprehensive realignment of over 130 CRPF battalions, marking the first restructuring in eight years aimed at enhancing operational efficiency. This initiative reduced the average distance between units and their parent centres from 1,200 km to 500 km, allowing troops more “family time.” Additionally, he introduced “samvaad” (dialogue) sessions with company commanders to gather feedback, a move that received positive feedback within the force.

His appointment coincides with the Union government’s approval of granting honorary ranks to retiring personnel of the central armed forces, a policy that Singh advocated. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order to implement this policy, which aims to boost the morale of subordinate officers in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles. Singh originally proposed this policy to address the long-standing issue of stagnation in promotional avenues, with some constables reportedly waiting up to 20 years for their first promotion.