Rear Admiral Kapil Mohan Dhir has taken over as the Joint Secretary (Navy & Defence Staff) in the Department of Military Affairs. He is the first Armed Forces officer to tenant this assignment. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadakwasla, Pune and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 01, 1985.

He is the Senior most Serving Marine Commando (MARCOS) and has served in frontline afloat and ashore assignments including Command of the premier MARCOS establishment, INS Abhimanyu, Indian Naval warships INS Khanjar and INS Rana, and peacekeeping missions both within and outside the country, including 'Op Pawan' and 'Op Jupiter'. He has held important operational and staff appointments, which include Fleet Operations Officer of Eastern Fleet and Commodore in charge Work up, Indian Naval Workup Team (INWT), Kochi.

The officer has rich experience of Ministry of Defence, having worked in various capacities at Naval Headquarters, as well as Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. As ACIDS (PP&FS) in the HQIDS, he played an important role in taking forward Govt's focus on 'ease-of-doing business', as well as 'Make in India' initiative by streamlining acquisition processes with greater focus on indigenisation. Being the architect of major policies, some of his contributions inter-alia include 'Strategic Partnership (SP) Model, revised 'Make-II' and 'Make-III' procedures, as well as the 'Positive Indigenisation List'. He has also furthered tri-service integration in Capability Development, besides introducing systemic approach to defence planning.

He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and National Defence College, New Delhi.

He is also a recipient of the 'Vishist Seva Medal' and the 'Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' for distinguished service.