New Delhi:
General Upendra Dwivedi took charge as the 30th Army Chief on Sunday. He has replaced General Manoj Pandey. General Dwivedi has vast experience of working along the borders with China and Pakistan. He has also served as Deputy Army Chief. General Dwivedi was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command from 2022-2024 before taking over as Deputy Chief of Army Staff on February 19. He commands an army of 1.3 lakh soldiers at a time when India is facing several security challenges, including challenges along the Line of Actual Control with China. As Army Chief, he will also have to coordinate with the Navy and the Indian Air Force on the government’s ambitious plan to launch a unified command.
General Dwivedi has carried out anti-terror operations
Officials said that as the Northern Army Commander, General Dwivedi has provided strategic guidance and operational insight for planning and executing operations along the northern and western borders besides conducting anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that during this period General Dwivedi was actively involved in ongoing talks with China to resolve the border dispute. He was also involved in the modernization of the largest military command of the Indian Army. He spearheaded the drive to adopt indigenous weapons under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
General Dwivedi has been promoting the use of technology
Lt Gen Dwivedi has been a pioneer in the use of technology. He has contributed significantly to the promotion of technology in the Army’s Northern Command. Along with this, the new army chief is also working towards the use of modern technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data analytics, quantum. He lived in Somalia and worked as a military adviser to the Seychelles government.
Also, for the first time in the Indian Army, two officers who studied together are heading two different branches of the army. In fact, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi and Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi have been classmates. Both studied together in 5th standard in early 1970s. At that time General Dwivedi’s roll number was 931 and Navy Chief Admiral Tripathi’s roll number was 938.
General Manoj Pandey was given a guard of honor before his retirement
Army Chief General Manoj Pandey retired on Sunday. He was given a guard of honor on the last day of his tenure. General Manoj Pandey held this post for 26 months. On the last day of his tenure, he visited the war memorial and paid tribute to the martyred soldiers. Lt. Gen. Dwivedi, who is now taking over the command of the Indian Army, will be the 30th Army Chief. Before this, he took charge of the Vice Chief of Army Staff in February. The government approved the appointment of General Dwivedi as the Army Chief on June 11. Born on July 01, 1964, Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984.
General Manoj Pandey was appointed as the Army Chief on 30 April 2022
General Manoj Pandey was appointed as the Army Chief on 30 April 2022. He was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers (Bombay Sappers) in December 1982. Before taking charge as COAS, he was posted as Vice Chief of Army Staff. General Manoj Pandey’s tenure was ending on 31 May 2024. However, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet allowed him to extend his service by one more month on 26 May 2024.
The government has fully followed the principles of seniority in appointing the new Army Chief. It may be noted that the Army Chiefs of all the three armies can hold office till the age of 62 or for a tenure of three years (whichever is earlier). While the retirement age limit for lieutenant general rank officers has been fixed at 60 years.
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