The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has cleared the appointment of Lt Gen A K Bhatt, as the next Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).
Lt Gen A K Bhatt till date was serving as the Additional Director General of Complaint and Advisory Board (DGCAB) at the Army HQ. Bhatt is from the army’s elite Gorkha regiment which is widely known for ferocity and gallantry.
The current DGMO, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, who became the face of the surgical strike, has been moved over to head the army’s critical Strike One Corps which is based out of Mathura. The 1st corps is strategically positioned close to the Pakistan border and has been tasked with curbing the growing tensions along the LoC.
Lt Gen Shokin Chauhan who till date was the Commander of the Strike One corps has now been appointed as the Director General of Assam Rifles. The Cabinet Committee has also cleared the appointment of Lt Gen Negi as the Commander of the Ambala based II corps. Also known as the Kharga Corps, the II corps is in-charge of maintaining the situation along the IB with Pakistan.
Lt Gen Manoj Narvane who was at the helm of the II corps has been shifted out to Delhi as the General Officer in Charge (GOC) of Delhi area.
On the Northern sector, Lt Gen Devaraj Anbu is slated to take over command of the Army’s Northern Command from Lt Gen D S Hooda who retires on December 1.
The Cabinet Committee, however, has made no announcements in regard to the appointment of COAS or CAS, despite the fact that both the positions will be opening after December 31.
Gen Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), is slated to retire from service on December 31. An officer of the Gorkha regiment, Gen Dalbir Singh, has served the nation gloriously for four decades.
Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, General Officer Command-in-Chief of Eastern Command, is slated to take over as the next COAS. He was commissioned into the Army under the Skinner’s Horse Regiment and is a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA).
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is also keenly awaiting the appointment of its next chief, as Air Marshal Arup Raha is slated to retire later this year. Marshal Raha is an experienced fighter pilot and had clocked over 3,400 of flying hours.
Current Vice Chief of Air Staff, B S Dhanoa, is tipped to take over reins from Raha. Marshal Dhanoa himself is a fighter pilot by heart and played an active part in the Kargil operation. For his gallantry, he was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal (YSM) and Vayu Sena Medal (VSM).
In accordance with the traditions, governments till date were making the key appointments for the force well in advance. The new government has shifted from the prior traditions and is now expected to make formal announcements in the next week or two.
