Shivshankar Menon is new National Security Adviser

21 Jan 2010:


The government on Thursday issued orders appointing Shiv Shankar Menon as the next National Security Adviser.


The NSA's post was created in 1998 to oversee the management of national security, both in the immediate term and long term. Brajesh Mishra was the first NSA till 2004, and was succeeded by J.N. Dixit, who died in harness in January 2005.

One of the executive functions of the NSA is to serve as chairman of the executive council of the Nuclear Command Authority.

In recent years, the NSA has emerged as the Prime Minister's chief negotiator in strategic talks with the big powers.