In a significant reshuffle of senior bureaucrats, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has named Amit Agrawal as the new Telecom Secretary, replacing Neeraj Mittal, who has now been appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG). These appointments, announced on November 21, 2025, form part of a broader administrative realignment across several key ministries.
Profile: Amit Agrawal
- Amit Agrawal is a 1993-batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre.
- Prior to this, he served as the Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, a post he held since December 2024.
- In his new role, he will head the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), overseeing major digital infrastructure projects, spectrum management, telecom policy implementation, and regulatory coordination.
Neeraj Mittal’s Shift to Petroleum
Neeraj Mittal, who took charge as Telecom Secretary in September 2023, has been shifted to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. During his tenure at DoT, Mittal,
- Played a pivotal role in promoting India’s indigenous telecom technology stack
- Supervised BSNL’s rollout of nearly 1 lakh 4G sites
- Chaired the Digital Communications Commission, contributing to key telecom reforms
- He now succeeds Pankaj Jain, who has been appointed Member Secretary of the Eighth Central Pay Commission.
Other Key Appointments in the Reshuffle
The ACC also approved several high-profile changes across ministries,
- Manoj Joshi, currently Secretary in the Department of Land Resources, will replace Agrawal in the Pharmaceuticals Department
- Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson of Chennai Port Trust, has been elevated to Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, with the rank of Secretary
These changes reflect the government’s focus on strengthening administrative leadership across sectors critical to India’s infrastructure, digital transformation, and energy security.
Relevant Static Facts
- New Telecom Secretary (2025): Amit Agrawal
- Previous Role: Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals
- IAS Batch & Cadre: 1993-batch, Chhattisgarh cadre
- Outgoing Telecom Secretary: Neeraj Mittal
- New Role for Mittal: Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
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