NEW DELHI, Jan 4: Former Indian sleuth M.K. Narayanan has assumed the temporary charge as the National Security Adviser following the death of Jyotindra Nath Dixit.

Mr Narayanan, former head of the Intelligence Bureau, is currently adviser in the prime minister's office, handling internal security. It was not immediately clear if he would continue to engage in backstage diplomacy with his Pakistan counterpart.

The prime minister's office has reportedly decided to hand over temporary charge to Mr Narayanan "in view of the fact that government does not want an important post like the NSA to remain vacant for a long time pending the selection of a successor to Mr Dixit." Mr Narayanan is one of the candidates in the fray for the top slot.