Doval back as NSA with Cabinet rank

New Delhi, June 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has retained the services of National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and elevated the post to Cabinet rank.

Doval, the only NSA to get a second term, held the rank of Minister of State in the previous term.

Doval is the fifth person to hold the post created by the Vajpayee government in 1998. Brajesh Mishra, a former IFS officer, held the post till 2004.  In UPA-I, former Foreign Secretary JN Dixit was the NSA. He was succeeded by former IB chief MK Narayanan. In UPA-II, former Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon was NSA. 

Doval, a 1968-batch IPS officer, retired after serving as Director of Intelligence Bureau. 

The elevation puts an end to speculation over order of precedence since S Jaishankar, a 1977-batch IFS officer, junior to Doval, took office as Cabinet Minister. — TNS