India’s New Army Chief - Lt Gen Manoj Pande

Lt Gen Manoj Pande - to be appointed as the 29th Chief of Army Staff

 

Lt General Manoj Pande has been appointed as the new Chief of Army Staff. For the first time, an officer from the Corps of Engineers has become CoAF. He will take over the charge from 01st May 2022.

 

Lt. Gen Manoj Pande was the Vice Chief of Army staff while General M M Naravane was the COAS. He will complete his tenure as CoAS on 30th April 2022 while handing over the office to Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande as the new CAoS. He will be the 29th Chief of Army Staff. 

 

Lieutenant General Manoj Pande has been the Vice CoAS since 01st February 2022. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers (Bombay Sapphires) in December 1982. 

 

According to the Army, he was part of Operation Parakram, the 2001-02 India-Pakistan standoff in the wake of the Parliament attack. The standoff saw the massing of thousands of troops on either side of the border and along the Line of Control in J&K.

 

“The General Officer has commanded 117 Engineer Regiment during Operation Parakram in the sensitive Pallanwala Sector of Jammu and Kashmir, along the Line of Control,” the Army said. attack. 

He is a graduate of Staff College, Camberley (United Kingdom) and attended the Higher Command (HC) and National Defence College (NDC) courses. 

 

“His staff exposures include Brigade Major of a Mountain Brigade in the North East, Assistant Military Secretary (AMS) in Military Secretary’s Branch, Colonel Q of a Mountain Division in High Altitude Area and Brigadier General Staff (Operations) at Headquarters Eastern Command. The General Officer has served as Chief Engineer in the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. He has also tenanted the appointments of Additional Director General in the Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters, Chief of Staff Headquarters Southern Command and Director General Discipline Ceremonial & Welfare at the Army Headquarters,” the Army said.

 

Pande was Commander-in-Chief, Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN), from June 2020 to May 2021 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command from June 2021 to January 2022.

 

“For his illustrious service, he has been conferred with the award of Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, the Chief of Army Staff Commendation and twice with GOC-in-C Commendation. The General Officer is the Colonel Commandant, The Bombay Sappers,” the Army said.