Veteran IPS Officer Anish Dayal Singh Takes Charge as Deputy NSA
Former CRPF and ITBP Director General Anish Dayal Singh has been appointed the new Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) with the responsibility of handling internal affairs, official sources confirmed.
A Distinguished Career in Service
Mr Singh, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Manipur cadre, retired in December 2024 after a long and decorated career.
He spent nearly 30 years with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) before taking charge of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and later the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
In his new role, Singh will oversee internal affairs, which include Jammu and Kashmir, the Naxal insurgency, and security challenges in the Northeast.
Deputies in the NSA Setup
Currently, Rajinder Khanna, former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), serves as the Additional NSA.
Retired IPS officer T.V. Ravichandran and former diplomat Pawan Kapoor are the two other deputy NSAs working alongside Singh.
Contributions as CRPF Chief
During his tenure at the helm of the CRPF, Singh introduced significant measures to strengthen the force.
He played a central role in combating Naxalism, establishing more than three dozen forward operating bases, and approving four new battalions in Left-Wing Extremism-affected districts.
He also supervised security arrangements during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and oversaw the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
Internal Reforms and Initiatives
Singh spearheaded a large-scale restructuring of over 130 CRPF battalions, the first such exercise in eight years.
This initiative aimed at improving operational efficiency while reducing the distance between battalion headquarters and parent centres, thereby ensuring more family time for personnel.
He also initiated “samvaad” (dialogue) sessions with company commanders, encouraging direct feedback from the ground level, a move widely appreciated within the force.
Advocacy for Honorary Ranks and Promotions
One of Singh’s notable contributions was his proposal to grant honorary ranks to retiring central armed forces personnel. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs approved this long-pending policy to boost morale among officers.
He also addressed the persistent problem of stagnation in promotions within the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles.
Some constables had been waiting nearly two decades for their first promotion, and Singh’s policy proposal was aimed at easing such hurdles.
Strategic Role in Internal Security
Singh’s appointment as Deputy NSA comes at a crucial time, just months after Operation Sindoor, during which India struck terrorist complexes across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.
His new responsibilities will involve reporting directly to NSA Ajit Doval and focusing on pressing internal issues such as insurgencies and counter-terrorism strategies.
His extensive background in intelligence and counter-insurgency is expected to significantly shape India’s internal security policies. He is also likely to work closely with agencies like the IB and R&AW to ensure a unified approach.
Past Achievements and Operations
As CRPF chief, Singh’s leadership saw the neutralisation of 290 Left-Wing extremists in 2024, while over 1,000 were arrested and nearly 900 surrendered.
These outcomes reflected the government’s continued efforts to weaken extremist influence across affected regions.
During the same period, the government established new forward operating bases in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Bijapur districts to intensify operations against Left-Wing Extremists.
Legacy in ITBP and Intelligence Bureau
Before his time at the CRPF, Singh served as Director General of ITBP, where he oversaw security across the sensitive India-China border.
His years in the IB, where he rose to the position of Special Director, equipped him with deep expertise in counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism operations.
Strengthening the National Security Framework
Singh’s new assignment marks an important step in reinforcing India’s security framework at a time when the country faces multiple threats, from terrorism and insurgency to emerging cyber challenges.
His vast experience across various security and intelligence organisations positions him as a key figure in shaping the nation’s internal security strategy in the years to come.
