Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during a ceremony in Pune on Saturday [1, 4].

The award recognizes Doval's influence on India's internal and external security frameworks and his role in shaping the nation's foreign policy [3, 4].

During the event, Shah said Doval is a "golden page" in the security legacy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi [1]. He said that Doval has been central to the administration's strategic approach to national defense and stability [2].

"In every national security decision, Doval had a role," Shah said [2].

Shah said that the National Security Advisor's strategic advice has strengthened India's defense and foreign policy since 2014 [2]. The Home Minister linked these contributions to the specific merits of the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, saying that Doval's work in securing the country's borders and internal peace made him a worthy recipient [4].

The ceremony highlighted the close coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Security Council Secretariat. Shah said Doval's immense contributions to India's internal and external security are worthy of the honor [2].

This public recognition serves as a testament to the centralized nature of security decision-making within the current administration — a system where the NSA maintains a direct line to the Prime Minister's office [2, 3].

“"In every national security decision, Doval had a role."”

The conferment of this award underscores the significant authority held by the National Security Advisor in the current Indian government. By publicly attributing major security and foreign policy successes to Doval's strategic advice, the administration is signaling a continuity of its security doctrine and reinforcing the central role of the NSA in managing both domestic stability and international relations.