In a major reshuffle of the Army top brass, Lt General Manoj Mukund Naravane, now heading the Eastern Command, will be the new Vice Chief after incumbent Lt General Devraj Anbu retires on August 31. Naravane is in line to be the next Army Chief as he is the senior most after General Bipin Rawat, who retires year end.
Once Naravane moves to New Delhi to assume charge as Vice-Chief, Lt General Anil Chauhan, at present chief of Directorate General of Military Operations(DGMO) will take over the new Eastern Command. Lt General R P Singh, now the commander of the 21 Strike Corps in Bhopal, will be heading the Chandimandir-based Western Command, replacing Lt General Surinder Singh who retires on July 31, sources said here on Monday.
Lt Gen AS Kler will head the Jaipur-based South-Western Command replacing Lt Gen Cherish Matheson, who retires on August 31. The Lucknow-based Central Command will now be headed by Lt Gen I S Ghumman. He will replace Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, who retires on September 30.