Dr Mayank Sharma Appointed as Financial Advisor (Defence Services)

Dr. Sharma’s career began in the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), where he rose through the ranks and held critical assignments across India’s defence financial ecosystem.

In a key administrative development, Dr. Mayank Sharma, a distinguished officer from the 1989 batch of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), has formally assumed the office of Financial Advisor (Defence Services) in the Ministry of Defence. With a vast and multi-faceted career spanning more than three decades, Dr. Sharma brings a wealth of experience in defence finance, public administration, and international diplomacy to this crucial role.

As the Financial Advisor (Defence Services), Dr. Sharma will be responsible for providing high-level financial oversight and policy guidance to the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces—Army, Navy, and Air Force—as well as the integrated defence organisations and defence production establishments. He will also play a pivotal role in ensuring transparent, efficient, and strategic utilisation of the defence budget, which continues to grow in line with India’s expanding security needs.

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A Veteran of Defence Finance and Administration

Dr. Sharma’s career began in the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), where he rose through the ranks and held critical assignments across India’s defence financial ecosystem. His appointment as Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) in previous years had already underscored his deep familiarity with defence procurement, budgeting, and audit systems.

As CGDA, he oversaw the disbursement of pay, pensions, and allowances for millions of defence personnel and ensured compliance with financial regulations across a broad and complex network of defence establishments.

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Policy Leadership in the Cabinet Secretariat

Dr. Sharma has also held important policy-making positions at the Cabinet Secretariat, where he served successively as:

• Under Secretary

• Deputy Secretary

• Joint Secretary

These tenures placed him at the heart of inter-ministerial coordination, national security policy evaluation, and strategic administrative decision-making. His experience in dealing with complex, cross-cutting issues of governance makes him uniquely suited to a role that demands both strategic insight and fiscal discipline.

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Representing India on the Global Stage

An accomplished diplomat and international representative, Dr. Mayank Sharma has played a key role in projecting India’s position on global legal, financial, and anti-crime platforms. He has represented the country as:

• Alternate Permanent Representative at the

  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

  • UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)

  • UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

He has also been India's delegate to prestigious institutions such as the International Anti-Corruption Academy and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, where he contributed to global dialogue on governance reforms, anti-corruption mechanisms, and ethical public administration.

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Administrative Leadership in Urban and Healthcare Sectors

Before returning to the core defence finance framework, Dr. Sharma brought his administrative expertise to key civilian institutions. He served as:

• Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) — where he supervised civic finance and governance reforms in the capital city

• Deputy Director, Administration, and Senior Financial Advisor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi — playing a pivotal role in managing one of India’s largest and most complex public health institutions

These roles underscore his versatility in managing high-stakes public institutions, human resources, and critical service delivery infrastructure.

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Vision for Defence Financial Reforms

As the new Financial Advisor (Defence Services), Dr. Sharma is expected to contribute to ongoing reforms in:

• Defence procurement and contract management under the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)

• Budget transparency and digitisation under the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and SRIJAN platform for indigenous procurement

• Audit reforms and compliance monitoring in alignment with the Comptroller & Auditor General’s directives

• Boosting Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives through efficient financial support to domestic defence manufacturers and R&D centres

With the Ministry of Defence increasingly focused on streamlining fiscal systems, promoting self-reliant defence production, and ensuring better cost-efficiency in capital expenditures, Dr. Sharma’s appointment is widely viewed as a step in the right direction.

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An Era of Strategic Financial Stewardship

Dr. Mayank Sharma takes charge at a time when India’s defence modernisation efforts are accelerating in response to global threats, regional assertiveness, and a dynamic security environment. The FY 2025–26 defence budget crossed ₹6 lakh crore, and the emphasis on capital expenditure for indigenous platforms has placed defence finance officers like Dr. Sharma at the centre of national preparedness.

With his profound understanding of administrative intricacies, diplomatic diplomacy, and financial strategy, Dr. Sharma is poised to lead the Defence Accounts ecosystem into a future of robust accountability, innovation, and strategic support to India’s Armed Forces.