National Security Council (NSC)

Definition

The apex advisory body to the Prime Minister and the Government of India on matters of national security and strategic interest, coordinating the country's security policy.

Key points

• It was constituted in 1998 to provide an integrated approach to national security, replacing earlier ad hoc arrangements.
• It is headed by the Prime Minister and serviced by the National Security Adviser (NSA), a key official who advises the PM on security and strategic affairs.
• Its three-tier structure comprises the Strategic Policy Group, the National Security Advisory Board, and the National Security Council Secretariat.
• The Strategic Policy Group is the principal mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination and analysis on security; the National Security Advisory Board draws on outside experts.
• It deals with external, internal, military, economic, and increasingly cyber and technological dimensions of security.

Why it matters for CAPF

The NSC and the office of the National Security Adviser are central to India's security decision-making; their 1998 origin and three-tier structure are useful institutions facts for internal-security questions.

Common confusion

The NSC is an advisory and coordinating body headed by the Prime Minister and serviced by the NSA; it is not an operational force or an intelligence agency. The NSA is an appointed adviser, distinct from constitutional offices.

Related concepts

concept multi agency centre, concept natgrid, concept nia, concept national security guard

Parent note

internal security architecture of india