Centre revamps National Security Advisory Board 

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning chaired a crucial meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs — often dubbed the “Super Cabinet” — in the wake of last week’s terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

The outcome of the CCPA meeting will be known at a press conference later today. The Prime Minister has so far chaired a series of high-level meetings, including the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). These back-to-back sessions focused on critical issues ranging from national security to economic strategy and political developments.

Today’s CCPA meeting follows a high-level CCS session, the second since the Pahalgam massacre. In the aftermath of the first CCS meeting, the Government announced a series of non-military measures against Pakistan, including freezing the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the Attari border and cancelling all types of visas.

On Tuesday evening, PM Modi also met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. During this meeting, sources say the Prime Minister gave the armed forces “complete freedom to decide the mode, targets and timing” of India’s military response.

Against this backdrop, today’s CCPA meeting has drawn significant attention and speculation. The committee last met in 2019 following the Pulwama terror attack, where it approved the withdrawal of the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan. That meeting set the stage for the Balakot airstrike by the Indian Air Force on February 26, 2019.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) is responsible for reviewing and deciding on critical political and economic issues. It plays a pivotal role in Centre-State relations, helping forge consensus when required.

The Committee also addresses matters of internal security with political implications, coordinates between Ministries on major policy matters and discusses foreign policy issues with potential political fallout.

CCPA members: The CCPA is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Health Minister JP Nadda, Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy. Cabinet Ministers from allied parties also have representation in the Committee.