Major changes in military leadership with new Army Chief, Vice-Chiefs, CISC and Army Commanders

Commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 6, 1986, Air Marshal Dixit has extensive flying experience on various aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, variants of MiGs, HPT-32, An-32, Avro, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.

He is an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor and has been actively involved in numerous operations and exercises such as Op Safed Sagar, Op Rakshak, Cope India and Op Sindoor.

On Wednesday, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, formerly the Southern Army Commander, took charge as the Army’s Vice-Chief; Air Marshal Tejinder Singh became the new CISC.

Lt Gen Jain was commissioned into the MAHAR Regiment in June 1988. He has commanded an Infantry Battalion in semi-desert terrain as well as in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, an Infantry Brigade in a Strike Corps, a Counter Insurgency Force and a Pivot Corps in Northern Command. His operational experience includes participation in Operation Pawan, service as a Military Observer with the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and multiple tenures in high-altitude areas and counter-insurgency operations along the Line of Control and in the Northeast.

Air Marshal Singh was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 13, 1987. He is a Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,500 hours of flying experience. He has commanded a Fighter Squadron, a Radar Station and a premier Fighter Base. He was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), South Western Air Command, before the new role.

Air Marshal P V Shivanand assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command. Commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1988, he brings with him vast operational and leadership experience. Before this, he was Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Central Air Command, the IAF said.

Additionally, Lt Gen Mohit Malhotra and Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar assumed command of the Army’s Jaipur-based South Western Command and Pune-based Southern Command.

Lt Gen Malhotra was commissioned into the 47 Armoured Regiment in June 1989. He had earlier served as the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Eastern Command.

His command experience includes the Siachen Glacier, an Armoured Regiment, an Independent Armoured Brigade, an Armoured Division and the Desert Corps. He also has an extensive military profile with exposure in key staff appointments spanning operational planning, military intelligence, operational logistics, personnel management, technology absorption and strategic communications. He holds two Master’s Degrees in Defence Studies, including one from King’s College, London, in addition to two MPhil degrees in Political Science and Defence and Strategic Studies.

Lt Gen Pushkar was commissioned into the 74 Armoured Regiment in December 1988. He provided “decisive leadership and strategic foresight” as General Officer Commanding 2 Corps during Op Sindoor. He had commanded an Armoured Regiment in an operational area, a strategic Independent Armoured Brigade, an Infantry Division and a premier Strike Corps in the Western Sector. His important staff appointments include tenures as Colonel Military Secretary in a Strike Corps, Colonel General Staff of an Armoured Division in the Western Sector, Brigadier Quartermaster General of a Strike Corps, Brigadier General Staff of an Operational Command, Additional Director General, Armoured Corps and Director General Territorial Army.