New Delhi: A cabinet panel on Tuesday formally approved the appointment of former foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon as the National Security Advisor (NSA).
Menon, who was named on January 21 to take over the role of chief adviser to the national government on matters of security, will hold the status of minister of state. He assumed office January 23.
A brief statement by the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions said: "The appointments committee of the cabinet has approved the appointment of Shivshankar Menon, IFS (retd), as the National Security Advisor from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders."
"The competent authority has also approved that during his tenure as National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon will have the status of minister of state," the statement said.
The 60-year-old career diplomat succeeded M.K. Narayanan as the NSA.
Menon played a key role in the negotiations on the historic India-US civil nuclear deal. The 1972-batch Indian Foreign Service officer had earlier served in China, Pakistan, Israel, Austria, Japan and Sri Lanka and was advisor in the Department of Atomic Energy during the course of his diplomatic career.
He served as foreign secretary for about three years before retiring July 31 last year. He also did a three-year stint as high commissioner to Pakistan.
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