Rajesh Kumar Singh Given Additional Charge of DRDO Chairman and Defence R&D Secretary

¨     Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh was given additional charge on 29 May 2026.

¨     He was assigned the additional responsibility of Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

¨     He will assume these additional duties from 31 May 2026.

¨     The charge was given after the completion of tenure of Dr. Samir V. Kamat.

¨     The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is India’s premier defence research agency under the Ministry of Defence.

¨     It works on military technology, weapons systems, and strategic research for the armed forces.

¨     Senior-level appointments in the Government of India are approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

¨     The order for this additional charge was issued by the ACC on 29 May 2026.

¨     Rajesh Kumar Singh is a 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre.

¨     He has been serving as Defence Secretary since 1 November 2024.