NEW DELHI: Former foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon is India’s new National Security Advisor.

The approval of Menon’s appointment by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet for the key post came at a time when India is revamping

its security apparatus to

deal with rising threat of terrorism. Menon succeeds MK Narayanan, who has been appointed as Governor of West Bengal. Menon is expected to assume charge on Saturday. Sixty-year-old Menon, who holds a Master’s Degree in History from Delhi University, rose to the highest rank in the foreign service before retiring in July.

A 1972 batch IFS officer, Menon has served in China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Germany and Japan and was also an advisor in the Department of Atomic Energy. His new assignment came at a time when security experts are saying that the NSA should work with the PM on external security and the handling of internal security should be the sole responsibility of the Home Ministry.

Menon has been credited with helping

the country successfully strike a civilian

nuclear cooperation deal with the United

States of America that ended India’s long isolation in the atomic sector.