Meet new Army Chief: Avid reader, led Galwan talks

Army officers, who know Lt Gen Dwivedi well and have worked closely with him, told The Indian Express that he will likely carry forward Gen Pande’s work of infusing new technology into the Armed Forces.

Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi will replace the current Army chief General Manoj C Pande. (PIB)

Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the next Army chief, is known to be a tech-savvy officer who has held a wide range of posts during a nearly four-decade career — including that of Northern Army Commander, a position in which he oversaw talks with China over the military standoff.

Currently serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Dwivedi was appointed as Army chief earlier this week. He will assume the role on June 30, when current Army Chief General Manoj Pande retires. Lt Gen Dwivedi is the senior-most officer in the Army at present.

Army officers, who know Lt Gen Dwivedi well and have worked closely with him, told The Indian Express that he will likely carry forward Gen Pande’s work of infusing new technology into the Armed Forces.

“He will be ensuring induction of maximum hi-tech equipment in the Army which have been brought through the Army Commanders Special Financial Powers,” an officer said.

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These officers also said Lt Gen Dwivedi is an avid reader and can present in-depth analyses of any security issue, considering the wide range of roles he has held during his career.

“Among other issues of his focus, he has always given primacy to the welfare of troops,” said an officer who knows him closely. Before he took over as the Vice Chief of the Army, Lt Gen Dwivedi was the Northern Army Commander, during which he oversaw military talks with China in the thick of the ongoing standoff between the countries, as well counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Jammu region which had seen a spike in terror attacks.

Lt Gen Dwivedi was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu & Kashmir Rifles) of the Army on December 15, 1984. During his service, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff, Instructional and Foreign appointments. His Command appointments include Command of Regiment (18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles), Brigade (26 Sector Assam Rifles), as Inspector General, Assam Rifles (East) and 9 Corps.

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The senior officer is an alumnus of the Sainik School Rewa, National Defence College, and US Army War College. He was conferred ‘Distinguished Fellow’ in the coveted NDC equivalent course at USAWC, Carlisle, USA.

Amrita Nayak Dutta

Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More

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