Former CRPF Chief Anish Dayal Singh appointed Deputy NSA for Internal Affairs

The Union government has appointed Anish Dayal Singh, former Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), as the new Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) with responsibility for handling internal affairs. A 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Manipur cadre, Singh had earlier served for nearly three decades in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) before leading ITBP and CRPF. He retired from service in December 2024 after a distinguished career in policing and national security.

As Deputy NSA, Singh will oversee India’s internal security framework, including Jammu and Kashmir, Naxal-affected areas, and Northeastern insurgency. His appointment comes at a time when internal challenges remain critical for the country’s security establishment. He joins a team that includes former RAW chief Rajinder Khanna, serving as Additional NSA, along with retired IPS officer T.V. Ravichandran and former diplomat Pawan Kapoor as Deputy NSAs.

During his tenure as CRPF chief, Anish Dayal Singh was credited with major initiatives to strengthen internal security. He led the expansion of CRPF operations against Naxal insurgency by establishing over three dozen forward operating bases and raising four new battalions in Left-Wing Extremism zones. Singh also initiated the largest realignment of CRPF formations in eight years by restructuring over 130 battalions, reducing the average distance between units and their parent centres from 1,200 km to 500 km. This restructuring aimed to boost operational efficiency while giving personnel more family time.

He also ensured a strong security grid during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the first Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir after its reorganization. Within the force, Singh introduced “Samvaad” or dialogue sessions with company commanders to gather ground-level feedback and improve communication, a move widely appreciated by officers and personnel alike.

Regarded as a strategic thinker and a seasoned operations leader, Anish Dayal Singh brings deep experience in intelligence and paramilitary leadership to his new role. His appointment as Deputy NSA underlines the government’s focus on strengthening internal security and reinforcing India’s counter-insurgency mechanisms.