Prospective GOC-in-C moved to Delhi

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27

Lt Gen Surinder Singh, tipped to take over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Chandimandir-based Western Command, has been attached to the Deputy Chief of Army Staff’s branch at Army Headquarters on a supernumerary post till the time he takes over as the Western Army Commander.

Lt Gen Surinder Singh, an officer from the Brigade of The Guards, was the GOC, 33 Corps, at Sukna near Siliguri. Lt Gen SK Jha is taking over from him. Another officer, Lt Gen DR Soni, is tipped to be elevated as Army Commander, and is expected to move to Shimla to head the Army Training Command, whose present chief, Lt Gen PM Hariz is said to move as the Southern Army Commander. 

Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, present Southern Army Commander, will move as Vice Chief of Army Staff when the incumbent retires at the end of this month.

Lt Gen JS Cheema, GOC, 11 Corps, at Jalandhar has been officiating as the Western Army Commander since August 1, when Lt Gen KJ Singh retired. Lt Gen Cheema would be moving to Army Headquarters as Director General Infantry after handing over charge to Lt Gen BS Sehrawat.

Both Lt Gen Cheema and Lt Gen Surinder Singh are of 1979 seniority and became corps commanders at roughly the same time about a year ago. These movements are part of a series of postings of lieutenant generals in command as well as staff appointments, many of which had been pending for some time.

A delay of about a month in issuing posting orders of several top rung officers, including army commanders and corps commanders, is highly unusual on the part of the Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters.