Chiefs Of Army Staff: India
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Chiefs Of Army Staff: India
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The source of this article
INDIA 2012
A REFERENCE ANNUAL
Compiled by
RESEARCH, REFERENCE AND TRAINING DIVISION
PUBLICATIONS DIVISION
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
The chiefs
Name Tenure
General Maharaj Rajendra Sinhji .................................... 1 April 1955-14 May 1955
General S.M. Srinagesh ..................................................... 15 May 1955-7 May 1957
General K.S. Thimayya ..................................................... 8 May 1957-7 May 1961
General R.N. Thapar ......................................................... 8 May 1961-19 November 1962
General J.N. Choudhuri ................................................... 20 November 1962-7 June 1966
General P.P. Kumaramangalam ....................................... 8 June 1966-7 June 1969
General S.H.F.J. Manekshaw ........................................... 8 June 1969-31 December 1972
Field Marshal S.H.F.J. Manekshaw ................................. 1 January 1973-14 January 1973
General G.G. Bewoor ........................................................ 15 January 1973-31 May 1975
General T.N. Raina ............................................................ 1 June 1975-31 May 1978
General O.P. Malhotra ...................................................... 1 June 1978-31 May 1981
General K.V. Krishna Rao................................................. 1 June 1981-31 July 1983
General A.S. Vaidya .......................................................... 1 August 1983-31 January 1986
General K. Sunderji ........................................................... 1 February 1986-30 April 1988
General V.N. Sharma ......................................................... 1 May 1988-30 June 1990
General S.F. Rodrigues ...................................................... 1 July 1990-30 June 1993
General B.C. Joshi .............................................................. 1 July 1993-18 November 1994
General S. Roychowdhury ............................................... 22 November 1994-30 September 1997
General V.P. Malik ............................................................. 1 October 1997-30 September 2000
General S. Padmanabhan ................................................. 30 September 2000-31 December 2002
General N.C. Vij ................................................................. 1 January 2003-31 January 2005
General J.J. Singh ............................................................... 1 February 2005 - 30 September 2007
General Deepak Kapoor ................................................... 30 September 2007-31 March 2010
General V.K. Singh ............................................................ 31 31 March 2010 - 31 May 2012)
Gen Bikram Singh ........................................................... 1 Jun 2012 to 31 Jul 2014
General Dalbir Singh Suhag...........................................................1 Aug-2014 to 31 December 2016
General Bipin Rawat...........................................................31 December 2016-31 December 2019
General Manoj Mukund Naravane.................................................December 31, 2019-30 April 2022
General Manoj Pande ..........................................................30 April 2022.30 Jun 2024
General Upendra Dwivedi.................................................. 30 Jun 2024
Trends in appointment
Extension of service
May 27, 2024: The Times of India
The Centre granted a month’s extension to Army chief General Manoj Pande (62) just six days before his slated retirement. This unusual move could impact the line of succession in the force, reports Rajat Pandit. The delay in announcing Pande’s successor had triggered widespread speculation of a supersession in the hierarchy.
The latest move will add further grist to the mill since the two next senior-most officers, vice-chief Lt-Gen Upendra Dwivedi and Lt-Gen Ajai Kumar Singh, are slated to retire on June 30.
2024
Rajat Pandit, May 27, 2024: The Times of India
New Delhi : In a highly unusual move that could impact the line of succession in the 12-lakh strong force, the govt granted a month’s extension to Army chief General Manoj Pande just six days before his slated retirement on May 31.
The inordinate delay in announcing the successor of Gen Pande, who took over as the 29th Army chief in April 2022 and turned 62 this month, had already triggered widespread speculation that a supersession in the military hierarchy was in the offing, amid the continuing confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh as well as the impending move to createintegrated theatre commands.
The extension by the PMled Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) will add further grist to the mill since the next senior-most Army officer, vice chief Lt-Gen Upendra Dwivedi (Jammu and Kashmir Rifles), as well as the one after him, Southern Command chief Lt-Gen Ajai Kumar Singh (Gorkha Rifles), are both slated to retire on June 30.
The Army, Navy and IAF chiefs can serve till 62 or for three years, whichever is earlier, while a Lt-Gen rank officer retires at 60 unless he is approved for the four-star rank.
A top govt official, however, told TOIthat “any speculation or controversy is unwarranted” because it had been decided that no senior post would be filled before the election process was completed.
“No top-level military or civilian posting has been done in the last one month. The next Army chief was scheduled to take over on May 31, one day before the last phase of polling. Now, the next govt can announce the new Army chief in mid-June, who will then take over from Gen Pande on June 30 (both Lt-Gens Dwivedi and Singh will still be in the reckoning),” the official said.
The election model code of conduct, however, did not prevent the govt from announcing on April 19 that Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi would take over as the new Navy chief from Admiral R Hari Kumar on April 30.
While Lt-Gens Dwivedi and Singh are both from the same course, the former be- came GoC-in-C of the Udhampur-based Northern Command in Feb 2022 and then the vice chief in Feb this year. LtGen Singh became GoC-in-C of the Pune-based Southern Command in Nov 2022.
The next three officers in seniority, whose names were also sent to the ACC, are Northern Command and Central Command chiefs, LtGens M V Suchindra Kumar and N S Raja Subramani, and chief of integrated defence staff Lt-Gen J P Mathew. While there have been a few supersessions for the top post in the hierarchy-conscious armed forces, the only available example of an extension being granted was when Indira Gandhi extended the tenure of Gen G G Bewoor (who had succeeded Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s also slightly extended tenure as Army chief after the 1971 war) in 1975 to deny the post to Lt-Gen P S Bhagat.
The NDA govt has junked the long-enshrined seniority principle two times during its 10-year tenure. First, it superseded two senior Lt-Gens (Praveen Bakshi and P M Hariz) to appoint Gen Bipin Rawat as Army chief in Dec 2016, who later became the first chief of defence staff before he was killed in a helicopter crash in Dec 2021. Then, Admiral Karambir Singh was appointed as the Navy chief in May 2019, superseding the then Andaman Nicobar Command chief Vice Admiral Bimal Verma. Both times, the govt contended it had taken the decision “based on merit, not just seniority”.
There have been other exceptions to the seniority principle in the past as well. Indira Gandhi, for instance, superseded Lt-Gen S K Sinha to appoint Gen A S Vaidya as Army chief in 1983. Similarly, Air Chief Marshal S K Mehra became IAF chief by superseding Air Marshal M MSingh in1988.
“Earlier, a new Service chief was announced two months in advance. These last minute decisions are not good for the morale of the armed forces. There is also increasing politicisation of the armed forces, with some top officers actively seeking out politicians to push their promotion claims,” a senior officer said.
Superseding the seniority principle
1983: Appointment of General A S Vaidya
The Times of India, December 18, 2016
Rajat Pandit
Lt Gen S K Sinha had quite in protest in 1983 after being superseded by Gen A S Vaidya -since serving under a junior is unacceptable in the extremely hierarchy-conscious force. The government stuck to the seniority principle in appointment of the then next IAF chief by announcing that Air Marshal Birendra Singh Dhanoa will replace Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on December 31.
2016: Appointment of General Bipin Rawat
The Times of India, December 18, 2016
Govt ignores seniority norm to name new Army chief
Rajat Pandit
In a move that evoked criticism for junking the long-enshrined seniority principle in appointing Service chiefs, the government appointed Lt General Bipin Rawat on Saturday night as the next Army chief, superseding two Lt Generals.
Lt General Bipin Rawat (infantry), who took over as the Army vice-chief in September 2016, bypassed Eastern Command chief Lt Gen Prave en Bakshi (armoured corps) and Southern Army Command chief Lt Gen P M Hariz (mechanised infantry).
Even though it's well within the right of a government to appoint whoever it wants as the next chief, successive dispensations have almost always followed the seniority principle.
In the case of the Army chief, Lt General Bipin Rawat superseded Eastern Command chief Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern Army Command chief Lt Gen Pattiarimmal Mohamed Hariz.
While Lt Gen Bakshi was commissioned in December 1977, Lt Gen Hariz was commissioned in June 1978. Lt Gen Rawat, in turn, was commissioned into the fifth battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles in December 1978.
Successive dispensations have almost always followed the seniority principle to anoint new military chiefs but there have been exceptions, although few and far between -Indira Gandhi superseded Lt Gen S K Sinha to appoint Gen A S Vaidya as the Army chief in 1983; Air Chief Marshal S K Mehra became IAF chief by superseding Air Marshal Man Mohan Singh in 1988. Lt Gen Sinha, of course, quietly resigned but went on to later become governor of both Assam and J&K, and also served as India's ambassador to Nepal.
Why Lt Gen Rawat was chosen Army chief
Why Lt Gen Bipin Rawat was chosen as Army chief, The Times of India
The Centre has faced strong criticism from the Congress for choosing new Army Chief Lt Gen Rawat over two senior officers, Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Let Gen P M Hariz. Defence ministry sources defended the Narendra Modi-government's decision, saying Lt Gen Rawat was the appropriate choice given the current circumstances.
Why was Lt Gen Rawat chosen instead of his seniors? Here's everything you need to know, in five points
1. Seniority principle
In theory, the government is free to choose whomever it wants to lead any of the Armed Forces, but the seniority principle has almost always been followed.
The last time a senior officer was superseded for the appointment of an Army Chief was in 1983 - more than two decades ago - when then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi chose Gen A S Vaidya over Lt Gen S K Sinha.
2. The most suitable candidate
According to defence ministry sources, Lt Gen Rawat was found to be the best suited among the lieutenant generals to deal with emerging challenges - including a reorganized and restructured military force in the north, continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west, and the situation in the North-East.
Ministry sources also cited his operational assignments as Commanding Officer of 19 Division in Jammu and Kashmir, his outstanding track record, his familiarity with the functioning of the Army HQ and Ministry of Defence in his capacity as Vice Chief and his "general dynamism" as reasons for his appointment.
He was chosen because he was deemed to be suitable at a time "when the threat from Pakistan and China has increased," and his appointment isn't "a reflection on anyone else," a government source said yesterday.
3. Experience
A top government official said Lt Gen Rawat had received the sword of honour at the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun, and had over 10 years of hands-on experience in counter-insurgency operations, and that he'd served at both the Line of Control (with Pakistan) and the Line of Actual Control (with China).
He has served the Army at various functional levels for three decades: he was involved in the 1986 Operations in the Eastern Sector facing China, was also posted in Pulwama in the 19 Division, and has handled operational responsibilities in the North East, defence ministry sources said. '
His experience as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Army Command in Mechanised Warfare has been focused towards the western borders, in coordination with the other two services, they added.
4. Compassion and connect with civil society
Lt Gen Rawat is also known for his balanced approach towards soldiering, his compassion, and his connect with civil society, sources said.
5. Lt Gens Bakshi and Hariz
On the other hand, Lt Gens Bakshi and Hariz have "very limited operational experience in J&K (Jammu and Kashmir) and elsewhere," a top government official said.
An engineer
Lt General Manoj Pande became the firstever officer commissioned in the Corps of Engineers to head the 12-lakh strong force . The government went by the seniority principle.
