Appointments

Ajit Doval takes over as head of ‘Strategic Policy Group’

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has replaced the Cabinet Secretary as Head of the Strategic Policy Group (SPG), a mechanism first notified in April 1999 to assist the National Security Council (NSC) in strategising on matters dealing with external, internal and economic security of the country. While the SPG as notified in 1999 was a 16-member body, the new notification makes this an 18-member body with the cabinet secretary and vicechairman of NITI Aayog as the new members.

Others who remain part of SPG are Chief of the Army Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff, Chief of the Air Staff, RBI governor, secretaries of external affairs, home, defence, finance, defence production, revenue, atomic energy, space, besides the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister, Secretary (R) in Cabinet Secretariat and the Intelligence Bureau chief.

Air Marshal Pradeep Padmakar Bapat takes over as AOA

Air Marshal Pradeep Padmakar Bapat has taken over as Air Officer-in Charge Administration ( AOA) on 1 November 2018. Commissioned in the Administrative Branch on 28 May 1983, the Air Marshal is a post Graduate in Zoology, has served as a Fighter Controller, Senior Administrative Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of a fighter base. He was

member of the IAF team which participated in the joint exercise Golden Eagle with the South African Air Force at Hoiedspruits in South Africa. Prior to being appointed as AOA, he was Director General (Works & Ceremonials).

Air Marshal MSG Menon appointed DG Works and Ceremonial

Air Marshal MSG Menon has been appointed Director General Works and Ceremonials at Air Headquarters. The Air Marshal was commissioned in the Administrative branch in December 1982, is a Category ‘ AYE’ Air Traffic Controller and has commanded an operational radar unit at a major flying station. He was member of the first UN Mission to Sudan, has served as Chief Administration Officer at Air Force Station Jalahalli, was Director National Defence University, also Commandant, Air Force Administrative College, Principal Director Ops (Air Traffic Services) and ACAS (Org & Ceremonial).

Lt Gen P S Rajeshwar is Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman, COSC

Lt Gen PS Rajeshwar took over as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman, COSC on 1 November 2018. He was commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery in December 1980, holds a Masters in National Security Administration from the NDC, Philippines, has considerable operational and staff experience, serving on operational assignments at high altitude area counter insurgency in the north east and counter terrorist operations in J&K, apart from United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.

The General has commanded an Artillery Regiment during Operation Parakram, an Infantry Brigade on the Line of Control, a Counter Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir and a Corps in the desert sector. Prior to assuming this appointment Lt Gen PS Rajeswar was Director General (Perspective Planning) at the Integrated HQ, Ministry of Defence.

Pratyush Kumar to lead Boeing Defence Programme

Pratyush Kumar, President of Boeing India, has been selected to lead the iconic F-15 fighter aircraft programme in the United States, “focussing on further expanding the business of F-15 in the US and across the globe”. As Boeing’s senior in-country leader, Kumar has for over five years advanced Boeing’s activities in India across its three business units: Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Boeing Global Services “while building strong relationships with the government and industry”. During his tenure, Boeing launched a rapidly growing engineering and technology centre in Bangalore to drive innovation, scaled up its aerospace supply chain, established a joint venture in Hyderabad with Tata to manufacture fuselages for the Apache attack helicopter, established Boeing Defence India to serve customers locally, finalised the sale of both Apache and Chinook helicopters to the Indian military and converted options for the P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft to firm orders.