Rajesh Kumar Singh, a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, assumed the charge of Defence Secretary on 1st November at South Block in New Delhi. He succeeds Giridhar Aramane, an IAS officer from the 1988 Andhra Pradesh cadre, who retired on 31st October. Singh’s appointment has a fixed tenure extending until 30 November 2026, just a month before his scheduled retirement.
Singh was appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and Defence Secretary-designate on 20 August, to ensure a smooth transition. Prior to this role, he served as Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a position he held from 24 April 2023, to 20 August. Earlier, he was also Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS took over as Defence Secretary in South Block today. Earlier in the day, he paid tributes to the bravehearts and laid a wreath at National War Memorial in New Delhi.
More: https://t.co/CEy0zH5U1z pic.twitter.com/95Rdr768VI
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) November 1, 2024
Throughout his career, Singh has held numerous critical positions at both the central and state levels. His experience includes roles as Director of Works and Urban Transport in the Ministry of Urban Development, Commissioner (Lands) at the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Chief Vigilance Officer at the Food Corporation of India. In the Kerala state government, Singh served as Secretary for Urban Development and, more recently, as Finance Secretary, the Defence Ministry said.
Singh’s extensive administrative background across key departments is expected to contribute significantly to his role as Defence Secretary.
Team BharatShakti
