Armed forces up for major rejig as new Northern Army Commander, IAF Vice Chief appointed
NEW DELHI: The Indian Armed Forces, (Army, Navy and Air Force) are due for major top-level changes as top commanders will superannuate getting replaced by new ones.
Lieutenant General Prateek Sharma is set to take charge as the Commander-in-Chief of the Udhampur-based Northern Command, the Indian Army's largest, overseeing key areas like the Line of Control, Line of Actual Control, Siachen, Kargil, and Drass. His appointment comes amid heightened global focus on Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack.
An ex-cadet of the prestigious Captain Manoj Pandey UP Sainik School, Lucknow, is the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS)—Strategy. The DCOAS Strategy, a third Deputy Chief of Army who oversees the Indian Army's operations and intelligence directorates, among other important branches, is one of the most crucial appointments within the Indian Army.
On Wednesday, Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar, after completing an illustrious career of four decades in the Indian Army, relinquished the Command of the Indian Army's Northern Command. The brave men and women of the Command gave him a befitting farewell.
Air Marshal Ashok Dixit will be assuming the position of the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) on May 1 as Lt Gen JP Mathew relinquished the appointment of CISC on April 30, 2025 upon the culmination of nearly four decades in service. Air Marshal Dixit was the Air Officer CinC Central Air Command before assuming the new appointment.
Also, on May 1 Lt Gen DS Rana, serving as the Director General, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) will be promoted to the rank of a force Commander.
"He is expected to proceed as the CinC, Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) from June 1. ANC is India's only tri-services operational Command. Lt Gen Rana is likely to be replaced by Lt Gen SP Singh, presently serving as the Chief of Staff of Army's Southern Command. .
The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the COSC (Chiefs of Staff Committee) heads the HQ Integrated Defence Staff, with his parity being that of a three-star armed forces officer of the level of Vice Chiefs of the Services.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is up for a major top level rejig beginning with the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS). Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, will be assuming the Charge of VCAS in place of Air Marshal SP Dharkar, superannuating on April 30. The new changes will be effective in the next few days.
Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan, serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of Southern Air Command (SAC) will be the new AOC-in-C Central Air Command. His replacement at the CAC is not yet confirmed.
Another change in IAF is the AOC-in-C of the South Western Air Command Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, presently serving as the AOC-in-C at IAF's Training Command. Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, presently the Deputy Chief of Air Staff will be the AOC-in-C Training Command of IAF.
Among the three services India Navy will see the all top Commanders being replaced by new officers in future. Beginning with the superannuation of Vice Admiral SJ Singh, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command (WNC) on July 31. Sources said that the current Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan is likely to go as the next WNC FOC-in-C.
The Indian Army and the IAF are arranged into seven commands each and the Navy has three Commands.
In the month of October this year both the Naval Commanders, Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, FOC-in-C East and Vice Adm V Srinivas, FOC-in-C South will be superannuating.
Meanwhile the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) will also see the change of guard with Vice Admiral Suraj Berry superannuating in September.
In case of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, SFC and the CISC, it is a rotation based tri-services command to be headed by one command by each service. As the new CISC is an IAF Officer and Army heading the ANC, a Navy officer will continue to be the Commander in Chief of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
In the Navy, the few officers next in line, as per the seniority, includes Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan (Deputy Chief Integrated Defence Staff), Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena (COS- ENC) and Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar (COS, WNC).
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