Anish Dayal Singh appointed Deputy NSA: From CRPF command to national security

Former CRPF and ITBP director general Anish Dayal Singh

Anish Dayal Singh, former Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been named Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) on Sunday. A 1988-batch IPS officer of the Manipur cadre, Singh retired in December last year after more than 35 years in service, who will handle the matters of national security.

Singh will be in charge of internal affairs of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, and Naxal and Northeastern insurgency, as the deputy NSA, news agency PTI reported citing officials.

Anish Dayal Singh’s career spans long stints in the Intelligence Bureau(IB), leadership of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and CRPF, and a reputation for balancing field command with policy reforms. At CRPF, he expanded operations in Maoist-affected areas, raised new battalions, and supervised security for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as well as Jammu and Kashmir’s first Assembly elections after reorganisation.

He also realigned 130 battalions to improve efficiency, introduced “Samvaad” sessions for feedback from company commanders, and pushed for honorary ranks for CAPF retirees to address stagnation in promotions.

As Deputy NSA, Singh will oversee critical internal security domains, including Jammu and Kashmir, Left-Wing Extremism, and insurgency in the Northeast. His appointment adds to a team that already includes former RAW chief Rajinder Khanna, retired IPS officer T.V. Ravichandran, and former diplomat Pawan Kapoor.

With experience spanning intelligence, operations, and organisational reform, Singh is expected to play a central role in shaping India’s internal security strategy.

Former RAW chief Rajinder Khanna is the Additional NSA, while retired IPS officer TV Ravichandran and former IFS officer Pawan Kapoor are the two serving deputy NSAs.

*With Agency Inputs