The government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officers Arvind Kumar and Samant Goel as the chiefs of the country's top intelligence agencies - the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), respectively.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Samant Kumar Goel, IPS (PB: 84), Special Secretary, as Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) vice A. K. Dhasmana on completion of his tenure on June 29, 2019 for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier," an official release said.

The order appointing Kumar said: "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Arvind Kumar, IPS (AM: 84), Special Director, Intelligence Bureau as Director, Intelligence Bureau vice Rajiv Jain on completion of his tenure on June 30, 2019 for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of charges of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

According to government sources, Goel played an important role in planning the February 2019 Balakot air strikes following the Pulwama terror attack case, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF troopers. 

He was also instrumental in planning the 2016 'surgical strikes' carried out by the armed forces following the Uri terror attack. 

A 1984 batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, he had been instrumental in handling the Punjab militancy when it was at its peak in the 1990s and was also posted in Dubai and London. He was posted as in-charge consular affairs in Dubai and also in London.

Meanwhile, Kumar is considered to be an expert on Kashmir and is currently posted as IB's Special Director in the state. He was also involved in tackling Left Wing Extremism at the IB. A 1984 batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Kumar headed the IB in Bihar. Before that, he looked after its administration and inquiry branches.