General Manoj Pande Bids Farewell, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi Takes Over as New Army Chief

In a ceremonial farewell, General Manoj Pande, the outgoing Chief of the Indian Army, was accorded a Guard of Honour on his final day in office. Gen Pande, who served a distinguished 26-month tenure, also paid homage at the National War Memorial in Delhi.

Originally slated to retire on May 30, Gen Pande’s service was extended by the government for an additional month, allowing him to serve until June 30. His successor, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, has been appointed as the new Chief of Army Staff and will be taking over his appointment today.

Gen Pande’s tenure as Army Chief has been marked by significant contributions to national security and military modernization. He was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff on April 30, 2022, and was commissioned in December 1982 in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). He held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff before taking over as the COAS and also commanded the Eastern Command and the Andaman & Nicobar Command.

As the 30th Army Chief, Lt Gen Dwivedi will be taking over after serving the country as Vice Chief of Army Staff, Northern Army Commander, DG Infantry, and many other command appointments in the force. During his illustrious career spanning over 39 years, he has held command appointments in challenging operational environments across the country, including Kashmir Valley, Rajasthan, and the North East.