New Delhi, May 01: Vishvajit Sahay has assumed charge as Secretary (Defence Finance) in the Ministry of Defence, according to an official statement. A 1990-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), he previously served as Controller General of Defence Accounts.
An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College and a law graduate, Sahay brings over three decades of experience in defence finance and public administration. His past roles include Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Department of Science and Technology, Joint Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industries, and Finance Manager (Acquisition Wing) in the Ministry of Defence.
Within the Defence Accounts Department, he has held key positions such as Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) in Prayagraj, Joint CGDA, and Special CGDA. He has also represented India at international training platforms, including programmes at the University of Cambridge and the George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies.
In a parallel development, Bharat Khera has taken charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. A 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, he brings extensive administrative experience across central and state roles.
Khera previously served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs and held a key position as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence from 2014 to 2020, where he managed matters related to the Indian Air Force and coordinated national events, including Republic Day celebrations.
He later served in the Cabinet Secretariat, contributing to policy formulation across commerce, industry, and technology sectors, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The appointments come at a time when both defence finance management and the MSME sector—contributing over 30% to India’s GDP—are critical to economic growth, fiscal discipline, and employment generation.
