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Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Amit Kumar was on Tuesday appointed as the next Director of the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force responsible for providing proximate security to the Prime Minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at the official residence.

Kumar, a 1994-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, is currently serving as Special Director General in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He brings with him extensive experience in policing, internal security and leadership within the country's security establishment.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Kumar's appointment as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the SPG with effect from the date he assumes charge of the post. The arrangement is intended to ensure a smooth transition in the leadership of the elite security organisation before Kumar formally takes over as its Director next year.

 

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According to the government order, Kumar will assume charge as Director of the SPG after the extended tenure of the current chief, Alok Sharma, comes to an end on March 31 next year.

 

Sharma, who was originally due to retire on Tuesday upon attaining the age of 60, was granted a nine-month extension as SPG Director on June 24. The extension allows him to continue leading the organisation until the end of March, after which Kumar will officially assume charge.

The Special Protection Group is India's premier VIP security force and is tasked with providing the highest level of security cover to the Prime Minister, as well as eligible members of the Prime Minister's immediate family residing at the official residence. The force is equipped with specialised personnel, advanced equipment and dedicated operational capabilities to counter a wide range of security threats.

Kumar's appointment comes as part of the government's planned succession process for one of the country's most sensitive security assignments, ensuring continuity in the leadership of the SPG and its responsibility for safeguarding the nation's top political executive.