Lt General Manoj Naravane: Frontrunner for
Army Chief

The Government has approved a substantial recasting of the Army top brass, which will get a new Vice-Chief and four new regional Army Commanders over the next two months.

Eastern Army Commander Lt General Manoj Naravane will take over as Vice-Chief of Army Staff after the retirement of the incumbent, Lt General D Anbu on August 31.

Observers read this appointment as a vote of confidence in Lt General Naravane, who will be the senior most officer when General Bipin Rawat retires as Army Chief on December 31. His movement to Army Headquarters as Vice-Chief makes him well poised to succeed General Rawat.

Observers read this appointment as a vote of confidence in Lt General Naravane, who will be the senior most officer when General Bipin Rawat retires as Army Chief on December 31. His movement to Army Headquarters as Vice-Chief makes him well poised to succeed General Rawat

Lt General Anil Chauhan will replace Lt General Narvane as the head the Eastern Command at Kolkata.

Lt General R P Singh has been picked to head the Chandimandir-based Western Command upon the retirement of the incumbent commander, Lt General Surinder Singh on July 31.

Lt General A S Kler will head the Jaipur-based South-Western Command, replacing Lt General Cherish Matheson, who retires on August 31.

The Central Command at Lucknow will he headed by Lt General I S Ghuman upon the retirement of Lt General Abhay Krishna on September 30.