Emphasising deeper coordination between governance and national security, he said such synergy was essential for India to become a developed nation by 2047.

Singh also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governance principles of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” and “Reform, Perform and Transform”, urging officers to uphold integrity, accountability and public service.

“When our government was formed in 2014, India was ranked 11th in terms of economic size. In the last 9-10 years, we have jumped to fourth place. Even reputed finance firms like Morgan Stanley say India might become the third-largest economy in the next two-three years,” he said.

Civil servants, he added, are “people’s servants” who must foster a culture where honesty is routine.

Singh encouraged officers to embrace innovation in a technology-driven era, highlighting initiatives such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Direct Benefit Transfer, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and faceless tax assessment.

He also noted the Ministry of Defence’s SAMPURNA initiative, an AI-driven system for analysing defence procurement and payments, stressing that technology should be used to increase transparency and inclusivity.

Calling empathy central to public service, Singh said administrators must recognise the structural challenges faced by vulnerable communities.