Srinagar, Feb 05 (KNS): Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi is set to assume the position of the army's vice chief on February 15, succeeding Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The forthcoming exchange of positions will see Kumar taking on the role of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Udhampur-based Northern Command. Notably, Dwivedi emerges as a frontrunner for the position of army chief, given his seniority when General Manoj Pande retires on May 31, 2024.
His educational background includes Sainik School, Rewa, the National Defence Academy (NDA), and the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
Dwivedi, commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in December 1984, has held significant positions, including deputy chief in the Army Headquarters, General Officer Commanding of the Yol-based HQs 9 Corps, and director general of infantry. In February 2022, he assumed command of the strategically vital Northern Command, responsible for safeguarding India's borders with Pakistan and China in the north and serving as the focal point for counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Northern Command's significance is underscored by the ongoing military standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May 2020. Despite partial disengagements in various areas, tens of thousands of troops and advanced weaponry from both sides remain deployed in the Ladakh theatre. Dwivedi's tenure as vice chief and potential ascension to army chief position coincide with a dynamic period in Indo-China relations, marked by intricate negotiations and lingering border issues.(KNS).