The Government of India has appointed Ajay Seth, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1987 Karnataka cadre, as the new Finance Secretary. His appointment fills the vacancy left by Tuhin Kanta Pandey, who recently took charge as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Seth, who is currently serving as the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, will now assume the additional responsibility of overseeing India’s financial administration at a critical economic juncture.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) formally approved Seth’s appointment as Finance Secretary, following established convention where the senior-most secretary in the Ministry of Finance is designated to this position. Alongside his existing role in the Department of Economic Affairs, Seth had also been handling additional responsibilities as the Secretary of the Department of Revenue after Pandey’s transition to SEBI.
With extensive experience in economic policymaking, Seth is expected to play a key role in guiding fiscal policies, promoting financial stability, and driving structural reforms to sustain economic growth.
Ajay Seth has been a pivotal figure in shaping India’s economic policies since taking over as Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs in 2021. His expertise spans infrastructure financing, public-private partnerships (PPPs), taxation reforms, and external debt management.
Over the years, he has contributed to various policy frameworks aimed at strengthening India’s financial sector. Notably, Seth played a crucial role in reforming Karnataka’s commercial tax administration, an initiative that earned him the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2013.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, Seth holds an MBA and has over three decades of experience in public finance, economic policy, and governance. His leadership is expected to bring strategic direction to India’s financial administration, particularly in balancing fiscal discipline with economic expansion.
Seth’s appointment comes at a time when the Indian economy is navigating a complex global landscape. The country’s GDP growth rate, which recovered to 6.2% in the December 2024 quarter, is projected to reach 6.5% for the fiscal year. However, economic uncertainties, including global trade disruptions and inflationary pressures, continue to pose challenges.
The latest Economic Survey underscores the need for policy-driven economic acceleration, emphasizing deregulation, private sector investment, and fiscal prudence. For India to achieve its long-term goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, sustaining a growth rate of 8% or higher for the next decade is imperative.
As Finance Secretary, Seth will be responsible for implementing fiscal policies that encourage sustainable growth, managing public debt, and overseeing financial regulations. His leadership is expected to play a crucial role in boosting investor confidence, enhancing economic resilience, and driving structural reforms to support India’s long-term development agenda.
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