Senior IPS officer Alok Joshi was today appointed as chief of country's external intelligence gathering agency RAW.

According to an official order issued today, Joshi, a 1976 batch officer of Haryana Cadre who is at present Special Secretary in Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), will take over the reins of the key agency on December 30.The Appointments Committee of Cabinet(ACC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved Joshi's appointment as Secretary (RAW) for a period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, the order said. Joshi will succeed Sanjeev Tripathi whose tenure ends on December 29.

Joshi has served in Intelligence Bureau(IB) and Haryana Police.