Vishvajit Sahay Appointed as Controller General of Defence Accounts

Shri Vishvajit Sahay, a senior bureaucrat from the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), took over as the new Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA). This key appointment brings to the helm a civil servant with over 30 years of experience in public administration and defence finance, at a time when the Indian defence sector continues to modernise and expand financially.

Who is Vishvajit Sahay?

• Shri Vishvajit Sahay is a 1990-batch IDAS officer and an alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.
• His long administrative career spans critical financial, policy, and planning roles across central ministries and defence establishments.

Government Roles Held

Sahay has served in multiple ministries in top financial advisory roles, including,

• Additional Secretary & Financial Adviser, Department of Science and Technology
• Joint Secretary, Department of Heavy Industry
• Finance Manager, Acquisition Wing, Ministry of Defence

Each role positioned him at the intersection of financial decision-making and policy execution, key to understanding procurement, pensions, and strategic acquisitions.

Defence Accounts Department Experience

Within the Defence Accounts Department, Sahay has held several pivotal roles,

• Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Prayagraj – managing pensions for millions of ex-servicemen and dependents
• Joint CGDA – assisting in strategic oversight of all defence accounts
• Special CGDA – leading special initiatives and high-level reforms

This trajectory shows his deep familiarity with defence pensions, budgetary oversight, and military financial systems.

Role of Controller General of Defence Accounts

The CGDA is the principal adviser to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on financial matters. The office oversees,

• Budget management for the Army, Navy, Air Force and DRDO
• Defence pensions for over 32 lakh beneficiaries
• Audit and accounting of military expenditure
• Procurement finance, especially in large-scale capital acquisitions

As CGDA, Vishvajit Sahay will be central to ensuring financial discipline, modernising defence financial processes, and supporting indigenisation goals under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Static Facts

• Name: Shri Vishvajit Sahay
• Position: Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA)
• Appointment Date: 1 November 2025
• Service: 1990-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS)