India Army Reshuffle: New Commanders Step In Across Strategic Commands

Lt Gen VMB Krishnan on Wednesday assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command, bringing nearly four decades of rich and varied military experience to this critical theatre.He succeeds Lt Gen R C Tiwari, who superannuated on March 31, the defence ministry said.An alumnus of premier military institutions, Lt Gen Krishnan has commanded an infantry battalion and an infantry brigade in the super high-altitude terrain of Siachen. He has also served as the general officer commanding of an infantry division and later commanded the elite Brahmastra Corps.Army's Western Command and Southern Command too got new commanders on Wednesday.Lt Gen Pushpendra Pal Singh assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Command.The

Western Command had played critical role during Operation Sindoor -- the decisive military action in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack -- last year.Lt Gen Singh relinquished his appointment as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) a day earlier. He succeeds Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, who superannuated on March 31.Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, who helmed the Southern Command during Operation Sindoor last year, has now taken charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.Also, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain assumed the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command on Wednesday, succeeding Lt Gen Seth.The ministry said Lt Gen Krishnan has assumed the appointment of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the strategic Eastern Command, based in Kolkata, West Bengal.Commissioned into the Indian Army on June 11, 1988, the general officer brings nearly four decades of rich and varied military experience to this critical theatre. His career encompasses a wide range of command, staff and instructional appointments across some of the most challenging operational environments in the country, the ministry said.In the strategic and institutional domain, he has served as Director General Information Technology at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) and as defence attache at the High Commission of India in London, it said.Prior to assuming his present appointment, he served as the Quarter Master General at the Army Headquarters, where he spearheaded key reforms in supply chain management and infrastructure, significantly enhancing operational sustenance and overall combat readiness.Lt Gen Krishnan also holds the prestigious appointments of Colonel of the Dogra Regiment and the Dogra Scouts. His tenure as Commandant of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School set high benchmarks in specialised training and doctrinal development.On assuming command, the army commander paid tribute to the fallen soldiers and called upon all ranks of the Eastern Command to "uphold the highest standards of operational preparedness".He emphasised the need to strengthen jointness, accelerate technological integration and maintain close synergy with all stakeholders to ensure enduring peace and stability across the eastern theatre.Lt Gen Jain, prior to assuming charge of the Southern Command, served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters Southern Command, where he contributed significantly to capability development, force restructuring and overall operational preparedness, the ministry said.The general officer has attended the Higher Command Course at the Army War College and the National Defence Course in Kenya. In recognition of his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Sena Medal.He has commanded an infantry battalion in semi-developed terrain as well as in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, an infantry brigade in a Strike Corps, a Counter Insurgency Force and a Pivot Corps in the Northern Command, it said."His operational experience includes participation in Operation Pawan, service as a Military Observer with the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and multiple tenures in high-altitude areas and counter-insurgency operations along the Line of Control and in the North East. He is also the Colonel of the MAHAR Regiment," the defence ministry said.Lt Gen Singh has a career spanning nearly four decades, and has held a wide spectrum of command and staff appointments.An officer of the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), he was commissioned into 4th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) in December 1987.An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and Lucknow University, the general officer has commanded formations in high-altitude and sensitive operational sectors along both the northern and western borders, officials said.His operational experience includes participation in Operation Pawan, as well as multiple tenures in counter-insurgency operations along the Line of Control and the International Boundary, they said.Prior to his appointment as the VCOAS, he served as Director General Operational Logistics (DGOL) at the Army Headquarters, where he played a key role in enhancing operational mobility, logistics integration and sustainment capabilities.As VCOAS, he contributed significantly to force structuring, capability development and overall operational preparedness of the Army, they said.