Ex R&AW chief Rajinder Khanna appointed new additional NSA

NEW DELHI: Deputy national security adviser and former R&AW chief Rajinder Khanna was on Tuesday upgraded to the post of additional national security adviser. Two new deputy national security advisers - T V Ravichandran, an IPS officer currently serving as special director in the Intelligence Bureau, and Pavan Kapoor, secretary (west) in the ministry of external affairs - have also been named.
The appointment of Khanna, who served as R&AW chief from 2014 to 2016, as additional NSA is being seen in sync with the Narendra Modi 3.0 regime's emphasis on maintaining continuity in the national security apparatus.
It was as part of this continuity principle that national security adviser Ajit Doval was reappointed for a third term, co-terminus with that of PM Modi.
Doval will now have an additional NSA and three deputy NSAs working under him. While former Border Security Force (BSF) chief Pankaj Kumar Singh continues as deputy NSA, Ravinchandran will be slipping into Khanna's role as deputy NSA. Kapoor will be taking Vikram Misri's place in NSA's office.