Office1: | Additional National Security Advisor of India |
Term Start1: | 15 July 2024 |
Predecessor1: | Position Established |
Office3: | Secretary of the Research & Analysis Wing |
Predecessor3: | Alok Joshi |
Successor3: | Anil Dhasmana |
Nationality: | Indian |
Term Start3: | 31 December 2014 |
Term End3: | 31 December 2016 |
Term Start2: | 2 January 2018 |
Term End2: | 14 July 2024 |
Predecessor2: | Arvind Gupta |
Successor2: | T V Ravichandran |
Rajinder Khanna (born 1956) is the current Additional National Security Advisor of India,[1] formerly since 2018 he served as the secretary of the National security council secretariat he was also the former chief of Research and Analysis Wing, the external intelligence agency of India.[2] He joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1978 and was allotted to Odisha cadre.[3] From 1979 to 1985, he held several important posts including Superintendent of Police in Puri and Ganjam districts in Odisha. As the Superintendent of Police in Puri, he received a number of commendations from the Chief Minister for eradicating dacoity in the district.[4]
Khanna is considered as the founder and driving force of the counter-terrorism unit in R&AW,[5] he is said to be an expert on terrorism.
He was appointed as one of the three Deputy National Security Advisors of India, other two being retired IFS officer Pankaj Saran and retired IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar in the third modi cabinet he is promoted to the designation of additional national security advisor to free up the NSA from the work of internal security management and threat analysis hence now the NSA can directly assist the PMO in the other ongoing situations.[6]
Rajinder Khanna is a graduate in economics (Hons.) from Hans Raj College, Delhi University and he did his master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the prestigious Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi University in 1978.
During the foundation course for civil services at Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, he was awarded the Director's silver medal for securing the highest marks in Economics.