New Delhi, April 1: In a significant leadership transition, the Indian Army on Tuesday witnessed the appointment of new commanders to its Western, Eastern and Southern Commands, along with the assumption of office by the new Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS).
Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh took over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Western Command, succeeding Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, who superannuated on March 31.
An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy and Lucknow University, Lt Gen Singh was commissioned into the 4th Battalion of The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) in December 1987.
With nearly four decades of service, he has commanded formations in high-altitude and sensitive sectors along the Northern and Western borders and participated in Operation Pawan and multiple counter-insurgency tenures along the Line of Control and International Boundary.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff and earlier as Director General Operational Logistics at Army Headquarters. He is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and two Sena Medals.
Lieutenant General VMB Krishnan assumed charge as GOC-in-C of the Eastern Command, succeeding Lieutenant General RC Tiwari. Commissioned on June 11, 1988, he has commanded an Infantry Battalion and Brigade in the super high-altitude terrain of Siachen, an Infantry Division and the Brahmastra Corps.
He has also served as Director General Information Technology at Army Headquarters and as Defence Attaché at the High Commission of India in London. Before taking over Eastern Command, he was Quarter Master General at Army Headquarters, contributing to supply chain reforms and infrastructure enhancement aimed at strengthening operational readiness.
Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain took over as GOC-in-C of the Southern Command, succeeding Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth. Commissioned into the Mahar Regiment in June 1988, Lt Gen Jain has held multiple command and staff appointments, including service with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and leadership roles in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters Southern Command. He is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Sena Medal and has attended prestigious professional military courses in India and abroad.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff. Commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986, he brings extensive operational and strategic experience.
A recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Lt Gen Seth has commanded formations across desert sectors, Jammu and Kashmir and along the Western Front. He previously served as GOC-in-C of South Western Command and Southern Command and has held key appointments in strategic planning and capability development, contributing significantly to the Army’s modernisation and long-term perspective planning.
The newly appointed commanders have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining high operational preparedness, accelerating technological integration, strengthening jointness and ensuring the welfare of personnel across their respective theatres of responsibility.
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