New Delhi: Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who came into the national spotlight during Operation Sindoor as Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), has been appointed Military Advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).
He will take over from Gen N S Raja Subramani, who recently assumed office as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), according to sources.
The appointment marks a first for the revived military wing of the NSCS. Since its restoration in 2018, the position has been held by retired senior officers. Lt Gen Ghai will become the first serving three-star officer to be appointed Military Advisor during this period.
He is also set to become the first officer below the rank of Army Commander, or its equivalent in the other services, to hold the post.
The Military Advisor acts as a key link between the armed forces and the country's top national security decision-making system led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The role involves providing military assessments on strategic, operational and geopolitical issues, coordinating with the three services on national security matters, and contributing to long-term defence planning and capability development.
The military wing of the NSCS was revived in October 2018 to ensure structured military inputs into national security policymaking. Since then, the position has gained importance within the national security framework.
Commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment in December 1989, Lt Gen Ghai currently serves as Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy), a position that oversees the Army's operations and intelligence branches. He previously served as DGMO and also commanded the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, which is responsible for counter-terrorism operations and guarding the Line of Control in the Kashmir Valley.
A graduate of the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy, Defence Services Staff College, Army War College and National Defence College, Lt Gen Ghai has served in a range of operational, staff and instructional roles during a military career spanning more than three decades.
His experience includes postings in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast, the Military Operations Directorate, the Integrated Defence Staff and a United Nations mission in Lebanon.
BI Bureau
