New Delhi, July 14 - Pradeep Kumar, presently secretary of defence production, was Tuesday named the new secretary in the defence ministry to succeed Vijay Singh.

According to an official statement, Kumar will have a tenure of two years from the date he takes charge. He is presently the secretary (defence production) in the ministry. Vijay Singh retires July 31.

A 1972 Haryana cadre Indian Administrative Service officer, Kumar is an electrical engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and a Masters in economic and social studies from the University of Wales.