80 and still serving...Yes, at the age when most of the public servants would have long retired, leaving behind a lifetime of experience for the next generation to build upon, Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Adviser, remains at the heart of the country’s strategic decision-making. For decades, Doval has been described as India’s “James Bond”, a man who moves effortlessly in the shadowy corridors of intelligence and diplomacy, shaping the nation’s security policy with quiet yet unmistakable authority.

But why has India chosen not to put him out to pasture, despite his age? The answer lies in a combination of experience and the nature of contemporary security challenges.

Experience That Cannot Be Replaced

Ajit Doval’s career is unlike that of any other serving official. His understa

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