Raj Kumar takes over as Secretary Defence Production

Raj Kumar, the new Secretary Defence Production, calling on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at South Block, New Delhi, on February 17

Gujarat cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Raj Kumar took over as India’s Defence Production Secretary on February 17.

He succeeds Subhash Chander, who retired from service on December 31. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar had been holding additional charge of Secretary Defence Production in the interregnum.

An officer of the 1987 batch of the IAS, the new Defence Production Secretary called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh before taking charge of his new assignment. He was earlier Director-General Employees’ State Insurance Corporation in the Ministry of Labour.

As Secretary Defence Production, Kumar will be the boss of 9 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and 41 Ordnance Factories. He will also supervise efforts to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and start-ups through programmes like iDEX.

The Secretary of the Department of Defence Production is one of the 5 secretaries in the Ministry of Defence.