M. K. Narayanan, special advisor to the Indian prime minister and former Intelligence Bureau chief,was on Tuesday appointed as the new national security advisor in place of J. N. Dixit, who died earlier this month.

The order of appointing Narayanan for the post has been issued,the prime minister's media advisor Sanjay Baru said. Narayanan officiated as the national security advisor after the death of Dixit.

Seventy-year old Narayanan headed the Intelligence Bureau in 1989-90 before being made head of the Joint Intelligence Committee.He was again brought back as Intelligence Bureau chief in 1991 andretired the next year.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made him special advisor for internal security in May last year soon after the new government assumed office. Narayanan is an expert in security matters and a specialist on Sri Lankan affairs.

Dixit died on Jan. 3 following a massive heart attack.

Source: Xinhua