General Manoj Pande becomes new Army Chief as General MM Naravane retires
Prior to becoming Vice Chief of the Army on February 1, Gen Pande led the Eastern Army Command, which was entrusted with defending the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh sectors. Gen Pande assumed command of the Indian Army at a time when India is confronted with several security difficulties, particularly at the LoC and LAC with Pakistan and China, respectively.
FollowGeneral Manoj Pande took over as the 29th Chief of the Army Staff today, succeeding incumbent General MM Naravane. Gen Pande, who was acting as Vice Chief at the time, became the force's first officer from the Corps of Engineers.
Prior to becoming Vice Chief of the Army on February 1, Gen Pande led the Eastern Army Command, which was entrusted with defending the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh sectors. Gen Pande assumed command of the Indian Army at a time when India is confronted with several security difficulties, particularly at the LoC and LAC with Pakistan and China, respectively.
As Army Chief, he will have to work with the Indian Navy and Air Force on the government's intention to roll out theatre commands.
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The theaterisation plan was being executed by Gen Bipin Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who died in a helicopter crash in December last year. The government has yet to name Gen Rawat's replacement. Gen Pande also served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), India's only tri-services command, throughout his remarkable career.
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He was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers) in December 1982 as an alumni of the National Defence Academy. Gen Pande has held a number of notable command and staff positions in conventional and counter-insurgency operations in a variety of terrain.
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During Operation Parakram in Jammu and Kashmir, he led an engineer regiment along the Line of Control, an engineer brigade in the western sector, an infantry brigade along the LoC, a mountain division in the high-altitude area of western Ladakh, and a corps in the Northeast.
Brigade Major of a Mountain Brigade in the Northeast, Assistant Military Secretary (AMS) in the Military Secretary's Branch, and Brigadier General Staff (Operations) in the Eastern Command headquarters are among his staff experiences.
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