Rajesh Kumar Singh officially took over as Defence Secretary at South Block in New Delhi on November 1, 2024. A 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, Singh previously served as Officer on Special Duty (Defence Secretary-designate) starting August 20, 2024.
Upon assuming his new role, Singh paid tribute to the nation’s fallen heroes by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. “The nation will remain forever indebted to our brave soldiers who make the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland. Their extraordinary bravery and sacrifice is a source of strength & inspiration for us to make India a safe and prosperous nation,” he stated.
Prior to his current appointment, Singh served as Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry from April 24, 2023, to August 20, 2024. Before that, he was Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
Throughout his career, Singh has held various significant positions within the Union Government, including Director of Works and Urban Transport in the Ministry of Urban Development, Commissioner (Lands) for the DDA, Joint Secretary in both the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, and Chief Vigilance Officer at the Food Corporation of India. In addition, he served as Secretary for Urban Development and, more recently, Finance Secretary in the Government of Kerala.
Rajesh Kumar Singh succeeds Giridhar Aramane, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, who retired from service on October 31, 2024.
