Anil Dhasmana appointed as new chief of NTRO

Former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Anil Dhasmana has been appointed as the chief of National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), India’s technical body that is responsible for geospatial intelligence and satellite imagery.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the appointment and the decision was formally conveyed to the retired Indian Police Service officer on Friday. Dhasmana succeeds former Intelligence Bureau officer Satish Jha, who demitted office on Thursday.

Dhasmana, a 1981 batch IPS officer, is a Pakistan expert and was the lead planner of the Balakot air strikes in February 2019. He had stepped down a few months later when his extended term due to the general elections ended in June 2019.