Dr. Mayank Sharma Assumes Office as Financial Advisor (Defence Services), Ministry of Defence, with Effect from 1 August 2025.

On 1 August 2025, the Ministry of Defence formally appointed Dr. Mayank Sharma, a distinguished 1989-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), as the new Financial Advisor (Defence Services) (FA (DS)). His tenure follows a rich career in defence accounting and governance, including his recent role as Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA).

      - In his new role, Dr Sharma becomes the strategic CFO of one of India’s largest ministries, responsible for providing financial advice and concurrence to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and defence organizations such as DRDO, MES, and Coast Guard.

      - As per the integrated financial advisor system, he will oversee budget estimates, expenditure proposals, and ensure financial compliance across capital and revenue allocations. His guidance is critical in managing a defence budget that crossed ₹6 lakh crore in FY 2025–26.

      - Prior to assuming the FA (DS) office, Dr Sharma led the Defence Accounts Department as CGDA, where he supervised pay, pensions, audits, and financial digitization initiatives across service formations. His tenure was marked by systemic reforms and strengthening of the fiscal accountability framework within the Ministry of Defence.

Main Point :-   (i) Dr Sharma has served successively as Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. These roles placed him at the intersection of policymaking, inter-ministerial coordination, and strategic governance—skills that will be leveraged in his advisory role to integrate finance and decision-making across defence acquisition and capital projects.

      (ii) A seasoned diplomat, Dr Sharma has represented India as Alternate Permanent Representative to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Commission on Crime Prevention, and UNCITRAL. He has also served in significant administrative roles outside defence, including Additional Commissioner of Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) and Senior Financial Advisor at AIIMS, New Delhi, illustrating his ability to manage complex organizations across sectors.

(iii) Dr Sharma assumes office at a critical juncture when India is accelerating defence procurement under the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), expanding digital platforms like GeM and SRIJAN for indigenous sourcing, and prioritizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through fiscal reforms. His appointment signals the government’s focus on financial prudence, transparency, and cost-effectiveness in defence modernization.
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