The Narendra Modi government has extended defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh's tenure by one more year, until October 31, 2027. Saturday's decision came a week before he was due to complete his two-year fixed tenure on October 31.
Singh, a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, has been given the unprecedented extension of one year due to his work in promoting "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" in the defence sector and pushing reforms in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in order to make India more self-reliant.
A quiet yet firm taskmaster, Singh has pushed the defence ministry and the DRDO into speedier decision-making and opening the conventional missile manufacturing into private sector.
He took charge as the 40th defence secretary on November 1, 2024, succeeding Giridhar Aramane. When he was appointed to the post in August 2024, his service was extended beyond superannuation—up to October-end this year.
Since May 31 this year, Singh has also held additional charge as secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development, and chairman of DRDO.
An Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)'s order in May gave him the charge when Samir V Kamat completed his tenure. Kamat had headed DRDO since August 25, 2022. That arrangement was to last until a regular incumbent was appointed or until further orders. No regular DRDO chief has been named since.
Of Singh's predecessors under the present government, Ajay Kumar and Giridhar Aramane left office on superannuation. RK Mathur and G Mohan Kumar continued beyond their normal retirement age to complete fixed two-year terms. Sanjay Mitra received a three-month extension in 2019, beyond his two-year tenure. None was kept on for as long as Singh now will be.
Before joining the defence ministry, Singh was secretary of the department for promotion of industry and internal trade from April 2023 to August 2024. Before that, he was secretary of the department of animal husbandry and dairying. In the Kerala government, he served as secretary, urban development, and later as finance secretary.