Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh Appointed as New Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Brings 38 Years of Operational Expertise

Veteran Special Forces officer and former Corps Commander takes charge as Vice Chief, known for leadership in key operations and border command roles.

New Delhi — In a major leadership development in the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh has officially taken over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff. The decorated officer assumed charge on 31st July 2025, bringing with him nearly four decades of rich operational and strategic experience.

Prior to this appointment, Lt Gen Singh served as the Director General of Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement at the Army Headquarters, a role critical to military preparedness and rapid deployment capabilities.

Commissioned into the 4th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) in December 1987, Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh is a seasoned officer with a formidable track record. A graduate of La Martiniere College, Lucknow, and Lucknow University, he is also an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

His military service includes distinguished tenures in critical operations like Op PAWAN, Op MEGHDOOT, Op ORCHID, and several stints under Op RAKSHAK. He has also commanded a Special Forces Unit in Kashmir and along the Line of Control, an Infantry Brigade, and a Mountain Division during Op SNOW LEOPARD at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Lt Gen Singh previously led a Corps based in Himachal Pradesh, responsible for the strategically vital regions of Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot — areas often in focus due to their proximity to volatile borders.

The new Vice Chief has pursued extensive academic and strategic training, attending the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, the Higher Defence Management Course at CDM Secunderabad, and the Advanced Professional Programme in Public Administration at IIPA. He holds a Master’s in Management Studies from Osmania University and an M.Phil. from Punjab University.

In recognition of his exemplary service, he has been conferred with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and a Bar to the Sena Medal, underlining his commitment to national security and operational excellence.

With this appointment, Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the Indian Army’s future strategies, modernisation drive, and operational preparedness across diverse theatres.