Army, Air Force witness changes at the top brass

Lt. Gen. Pratik Sharma. Picture: X/@adgpi

In a series of major changes in the top brass of the Army and Indian Air Force (IAF), Lt. Gen. Pratik Sharma took over as the Northern Army Commander, and Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took charge as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff on Monday. Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari is set to take charge as the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday. The changes, which come amid the tensions with Pakistan and expectations of possible punitive strikes by India, are routine due to the superannuation of the incumbents.

The three changes at the top will initiate a series of changes in the top hierarchy in the Army and IAF in the coming days.

Lt. Gen. Sharma took charge of the Udhampur-based Northern Command from Lt. Gen. Suchindra Kumar, who superannuated from service on April 30. A former cadet of the Captain Manoj Pandey UP Sainik School, Lucknow, he was commissioned into the Madras Regiment in December 1987. Lt. Gen. Sharma has commanded an Infantry Battalion, Brigade and Division along the Line of Control and a Strike Corps in the Western Sector. He was serving as Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) prior to taking over the present appointment.

Air Marshal Dixit assumed the post of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) from Lt. Gen. J. P. Mathew, who retired after nearly four decades in service. Air Marshal Dixit was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command before assuming the new appointment.

Air Marshal Tiwari, who was earlier serving as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), South Western Air Command (SWAC) at Gandhinagar, will take over as the Vice Chief of IAF from Air Marshal S. P. Dharkar, who superannuated on April 30. Further, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who was serving as the AOC-in-C at IAF’s Training Command, is the new AOC-in-C, SWAC, and he was replaced at the Training Command by Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, who was serving as Deputy Chief of Air Staff.

Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan, serving as the AOC-in-C of Southern Air Command (SAC), is the new AOC-in-C Central Air Command. His replacement at SAC as well as the new Deputy Chief are yet to be announced.

The Navy will see a series of changes on August 1, beginning with the superannuation of Vice Admiral S. J. Singh, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C), Mumbai-based Western Naval Command (WNC) on July 31. Present Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, is likely to take over as the next Western naval Commander. This will initiate a series of changes with three more top commanders — Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, FOC-in-C East; Vice Adm. V. Srinivas, FOC-in-C South; and Vice Adm. Suraj Berry, Strategic Forces Commander — set to superannuate a few months later.