Gen Upendra Dwivedi Assumes Charge As New Indian Army Chief

Gen Upendra Dwivedi, from Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, took over charge as the new Chief of the Army Staff, succeeding Gen Manoj C Pande. Dwivedi has had a distinguished 40-year military career.

In a significant transition in the leadership of the Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi assumes the role of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), succeeding Gen Manoj C Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, who demits office after a distinguished tenure. Gen Dwivedi's appointment as Army Chief was announced by the Ministry of Defence on June 11.

Notably, Gen Dwivedi is the first officer from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (JAKRIF) to hold the position of Army chief. The regiment has a direct lineage with the former royal house of the Dogra rulers of Jammu and Kashmir, an erstwhile princely state and currently a Union territory.

On Sunday, the outgoing Army Chief, Gen Pande received the Guard of Honour and laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. 

As COAS, Gen Pande accorded the highest priority to operational preparedness along the Northern and Western borders and frequently made visits to forward areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Eastern Ladakh, and the North East. 

Focusing on the matters within the Army, Gen Pande laid stress on an adaptation of indigenous weapons and equipment under ‘Atmanirbharata’ and provided impetus to initiatives linked to Human Resource development. As COAS, he also encouraged bilateral and multilateral exercises, seminars and discussions. 

Army Chief Dwivedi's 40-Year Service And Honours

The new Army Chief, Gen Upendra Dwivedi, born on July 01, 1964, was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu & Kashmir Rifles) in December 1984. His illustrious career spanning nearly 40 years has been marked by a series of command, staff, instructional, and foreign postings, reflecting his deep operational and strategic acumen.

Prior to his current appointment, Gen Dwivedi served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, overseeing critical aspects of operational readiness and modernisation efforts within the Indian Army. His command appointments include leadership roles in Regiment (18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles), Brigade (26 Sector Assam Rifles), Inspector General, Assam Rifles (East), and 9 Corps.

He is an alumnus of Sainik School Rewa, the prestigious National Defence College, and the US Army War College. He holds an M Phil in Defence & Management Studies, and Master's Degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science, further enhancing his comprehensive understanding of defence and strategic issues.

Recognised for his exceptional service, Gen Dwivedi has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), and three GOC-in-C Commendation Cards, underscoring his dedication and leadership in various capacities.

Dwivedi's appointment came after a one-month extension granted to Gen Pande, labelled by some as an unconventional move that was seen with suspicion by some as a move to allegedly disrupt the succession plan.

While Gen Dwivedi takes over the command as the new COAS, he also gets the baton of the challenges that India is facing on its Western and Northern borders. The border standoff between India and China at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, which completed four years last month, resulted in serious escalation in tensions between the two countries. 

Tensions with Pakistan also continue to remain high amid a series of terrorist acts being witnessed in the Poonch-Rajouri segment of Jammu.