Vappala Balachandran is a former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat
(Government of India) and author of five books, the latest being India and China At Odds In The Asian Century (2025). He was a member of the High-Level Committee which enquired into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. During his career he was deputed to revamp the security set up of a friendly Indian Ocean country, mandated to give advance intelligence support to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s successful China visit and organised the first secret direct talks in a foreign country between Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and the chief rebel Naga group, paving way for a cease-fire.