In a pivotal leadership transition at Army Headquarters, Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh officially assumed the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) on 31 July 2025. A decorated officer with a career spanning nearly four decades, Lt Gen Singh brings with him a wealth of experience in high-altitude warfare, operational logistics, and elite combat operations.
To mark the solemn occasion, the new Vice Chief, joined by Veer Naris and family members of fallen soldiers, paid homage at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. The tribute held special significance as it commemorated a daring counter-terror operation during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka on 22 July 1989. Then a young Second Lieutenant, Lt Gen Singh led a 13-member Quick Reaction Team that was ambushed en route from Iranamadu to Kilinochchi. Under heavy fire, he led a counter-assault that neutralised four LTTE terrorists and injured several others, though five Indian soldiers laid down their lives in the operation.
Following the ceremony, Lt Gen Singh reviewed the Guard of Honour at South Block, a tradition marking the assumption of his new responsibilities as the second-highest-ranking officer in the Indian Army.
Combat-hardened leadership: Special Forces and beyond
Commissioned into the 4th Battalion of The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) in December 1987, Lt Gen Singh is an alumnus of La Martiniere College, Lucknow University, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. His early service included frontline roles in some of India’s most critical operations: Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, Operation Meghdoot in Siachen, Operation Orchid in the North East, and multiple deployments under Operation Rakshak in Jammu & Kashmir.
A veteran of Special Forces, his operational ethos is rooted in elite, high-risk missions that have helped shape India’s modern battlefield strategy.
Strategic posts and high-altitude commands
Over the years, Lt Gen Singh has held several key command and staff appointments that underscore both tactical brilliance and strategic foresight. He has commanded a Special Forces unit in the Kashmir Valley, an Infantry Brigade, and a Mountain Division during Operation Snow Leopard—India’s decisive military response to Chinese aggression in Eastern Ladakh.
As General Officer Commanding (GOC) of a strategically vital Corps in Himachal Pradesh, he oversaw sensitive areas like Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot, which are critical to the nation’s Western defence corridor.
Prior to assuming the VCOAS role, he served as Director General Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement at Army Headquarters, where he led crucial decisions on force mobility, rapid deployment, and cross-theatre logistics preparedness.
Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh’s elevation as Vice Chief signals a continuation of strong, combat-tested leadership at the top echelons of the Indian Army at a time of dynamic strategic challenges and evolving security threats.
