Rajesh Kumar Singh, 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, took over as Defence Secretary on Friday, replacing Giridhar Aramane who demitted the office on the last day of the previous month.

Before assuming charge at South Block, Singh said, “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 and inspiration for us to make India a safe and prosperous nation.”

He laid a wreath and paid homage to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial here.

Singh was working as Officer on Special Duty (Defence Secretary-Designate) from August 20 to facilitate smooth transition of becoming Defence Secretary.

The senior bureaucrat was Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry from April 24, 2023, before moving to the Defence Ministry on August 20, this year.

Prior to that, he was secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

Singh has held many other important positions in the Union government, including director of works and urban transport in the Ministry of Urban Development; commissioner (lands) in the Delhi Development Authority; joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; joint secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare; and chief vigilance officer in the Food Corporation of India, the ministry said in a statement.

He has also held charge as urban development secretary and finance secretary in the Kerala government.

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