Sri Vijaya Puram, May 13: Senior IPS officer Ravindra Singh Yadav has been appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, replacing incumbent DGP HS Dhaliwal, who has been transferred to Delhi.
The transfer and posting order was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 13 with immediate effect.
According to the official notification issued by the Government of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Ravindra Singh Yadav, a 1995-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer currently serving in Delhi, has been posted as DGP of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The order simultaneously transfers Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, a 1997-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer presently serving as DGP of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to Delhi.
The appointment marks a significant administrative change in the police leadership of the strategically important Union Territory, which plays a crucial role in India’s maritime and coastal security framework in the Bay of Bengal region.
Ravindra Singh Yadav is regarded as a senior and experienced IPS officer with a long career spanning more than three decades across different policing assignments.
Born on March 25, 1968, Yadav belongs to Rajasthan and was selected into the Indian Police Service through the UPSC Civil Services Examination. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree along with a postgraduate qualification.
Over the years, he has served in several key positions in Delhi Police and other AGMUT cadre postings, handling crime investigations, intelligence-based policing, operations management and law and order responsibilities.
One of his most high-profile assignments came in February 2022, when he was appointed as the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) in Delhi Police. In the role, he headed the Crime Branch and supervised investigations into major criminal cases, organized crime networks and special operations.
He has also served as Joint Commissioner of Police (Operations) and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) in Delhi Police, apart from holding the post of Additional Director General of Police in Arunachal Pradesh.
Officials and police circles have often associated Yadav with technology-driven policing, modernization of crime detection systems and structural reforms within police administration.
He was elevated to the rank of Director General of Police in December 2025.
His appointment to Andaman and Nicobar Islands comes at a time when coastal surveillance, maritime coordination and island security continue to remain critical components of India’s strategic security architecture.
The islands, located near key international maritime routes, hold increasing geopolitical significance due to their location in the Indian Ocean region.
Security agencies in the islands routinely coordinate with the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and other central agencies on issues related to coastal security, illegal fishing, narcotics movement, transnational crimes and disaster preparedness.
Police sources said the appointment of a senior officer with extensive operational and administrative experience is expected to further strengthen policing coordination and law enforcement management in the Union Territory.
Outgoing DGP HS Dhaliwal, meanwhile, completes an important tenure in the islands during which the police department focused on modernization initiatives, community outreach programmes and crime prevention measures.
During his tenure, the Andaman and Nicobar Police intensified anti-narcotics operations, expanded cybercrime awareness activities and carried out several public-oriented policing initiatives across the islands.
Dhaliwal also oversaw law and order management during major public events, tourism seasons and disaster preparedness exercises in the Union Territory.
The Ministry’s order stated that the transfers have been made with the approval of the competent authority and will remain effective until further orders.
The appointment of Ravindra Singh Yadav is expected to formally take effect following administrative joining procedures in the coming days.
