Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi assumes office as Deputy Chief of Army Staff

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi replaces Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff. Lieutenant General Dwivedi is an accomplished officer with a distinguished career spanning 39 years and brings a wealth of experience to his new position. Lieutenant General Dwivedi was the Northern Army Commander in the previous review.

Lieutenant General Kumar has been appointed as the Commander-in-Chief, Northern Command, Udhampur. The current Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, will retire on May 31 and Lieutenant General Dwivedi is the favorite to become the Chief of Army Staff.

Lieutenant General Dwivedi paid tribute to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial in Delhi on Monday and inspected the guard of honor before taking over his new duties.

Lieutenant General Dwivedi graduated from Reva Sainik School (MP) and enlisted in the Army in 1984 with 18 JAK RIF. Throughout his career, he commanded troops in diverse terrains, including the Kashmir Valley and the deserts of Rajasthan. His achievements include Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and three GOC-in-C Commendation Cards.

Notably, he commanded the prestigious Northern Army from 2022 to 2024, overseeing operations along the China-Pakistan border, as well as counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

He played a key role in modernization efforts and integration of indigenous equipment into the army, promoting the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

In addition to his operational duties, Lieutenant General Dwivedi has held various staff positions and served overseas in countries such as Somalia and the Seychelles. He holds qualifications including Masters in Strategic Studies and Military Science.