Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane takes charge as Army chief, Gen Bipin Rawat to be CDS

“Thank You, Sir. You have always supported me in everything,” replied General Naravane, who had taken over as the Vice-Chief of Army Staff in September in preparation for taking over the Army’s topmost post. He earlier headed the Army’s Eastern Command, which is responsible for the country’s approximately 4,000-km border with China.

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General Naravane was commissioned into the 7th battalion, the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in June 1980 and has served in numerous command and staff appointments in peace, field and highly active counter-insurgency environments in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. He commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in Jammu and Kashmir and an infantry brigade on the eastern front. He also served as the Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) in Nagaland and commanded a prestigious strike corps.

General Rawat will take over as India’s first CDS in a landmark move that is meant to be the biggest military reform in decades. After paying tribute at the National War Memorial in Delhi before handing over the duties of the Army chief, he told reporters, “The position Chief of Army Staff has many responsibilities. Till now, I was concentrating on my obligations as Chief of Army Staff. Now that I will have a new designation, I will sit and plan a strategy for future.”