2 NE-Cadre IAS Officers Appointed as Secretaries of Commerce and Civil Aviation Ministries
First Published: 6th June, 2025 17:16 IST
Samir Sinha has been appointed as Secretary, Civil Aviation and Rajesh Agarwal as Secretary Commerce
In a bureaucratic reshuffle that holds a lot of significance for northeast, 2 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers from northeast cadres have been appointed as Secretaries in the Union Commerce and Civil Aviation Ministries.
Samir Kumar Sinha, a 1994-batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, has been appointed as the Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Rajesh Agarwal, also a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Manipur cadre, has been appointed as the Commerce Secretary.
Samir Kumar Sinha replaces Vumlunmang Vualnam, who has been transferred as Secretary in the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance.
Before this elevation, Sinha served as Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) in the Ministry of Defence. He also held important positions in the Assam state government, including Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister and Additional Chief Secretary in the Finance Department. Sinha holds a postgraduate degree in History from Hindu College, Delhi University.
Rajesh Agarwal will take charge as the Commerce Secretary after the retirement of Sunil Barthwal on September 30. Until then, Agarwal will serve as Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce.
Agarwal currently leads India’s trade negotiations with the United States and oversees the review of the free trade agreement in goods with the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bloc. He also heads talks for the proposed comprehensive trade agreements with Australia and Peru. In addition, he is in charge of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
Between July 2021 and December 2022, Rajesh Agarwal served as the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur and as the Principal Secretary for Power and Home in the Manipur government. He has also held key positions such as Executive Director at the India Trade Promotion Organisation and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
The appointments were cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on April 18.
COMMENTS
TOPMOST STORY NOW
Live Brother of BSF Jawan Deepak Chingakham Who Died in Cross-Border Firing by Pakistan in Jammu Appointed ASI in Manipur Police on Compassionate Grounds
11th July 2025
Live Maikhuli Villagers Protest MoU Over Assam-Meghalaya Border, Demand Return of Fishery
11th July 2025
Live Chhangur Baba Received Rs 500 Crore in Foreign Funds for Illegal Conversions: Anti-Terror Squad
11th July 2025
Live Taiwan Detects 9 Chinese Warships, 1 Aircraft Breaching ADIZ Amid Rising Tensions
11th July 2025
WE RECOMMEND
Shubhanshu Shukla Speaks to Students from Assam and Meghalaya from Space, Tells Them He Will Guide Them To Become Astronauts, Walk on the Moon
The Indian astronaut connected with the students using amateur (Ham) radio, making it a rare and inspiring moment.
11th July 2025
Assam Cabinet Approves Financial Assistance for Class 10 Students, Strict Rules for Hospitals
The amount is intended to help students purchase essential academic and nutritional items.
11th July 2025
Centre Sanctions Rs 1,066 Cr For Flood And Landslide Hit Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram
These states have experienced heavy rainfall, massive flooding, and multiple landslides during this monsoon season.
10th July 2025
Manipuri Community in Assam’s Silchar Stages Protest Demanding Autonomous Council
Manipuri Community in Assam: Demonstrators emphasised that the creation of the council is a constitutional right of the Manipuri community.
10th July 2025
Armed Robbers Loot Assam Businessman of Gold and Lakhs in Cash, Leaves Him Seriously Injured
The incident happened around 2 AM on Wednesday at the house of Junaid Ahmed, a well-known businessman in the area.
10th July 2025