General Dwivedi became the army’s vice chief in February 2024, after serving as the Northern Army commander for two years
General Upendra Dwivedi has taken over as the 30th chief of the Indian Army, succeeding General Manoj Pande, who retired after more than four decades of service. Known for his decisive and innovative leadership, General Dwivedi was commissioned into the 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1984. He is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla, and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.
“General Dwivedi is an accomplished military leader, with 40 years of service in the army. The General officer has a unique distinction of balanced command as well as staff exposure across Northern, Eastern, and Western theatres, in varied operational environments,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
At 60 years old, General Dwivedi is a vegetarian, a yoga enthusiast, and has a passion for photography and reading. According to senior army officials, he excelled in physical training during his time at the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA). He even won a gold medal at the Army Institute of Physical Training in Pune as a young lieutenant and was an accomplished athlete, particularly in the triple jump.
General Dwivedi became the army’s vice chief in February 2024, after serving as the Northern Army commander for two years. The Northern Command, based in Udhampur, is responsible for guarding India’s borders with Pakistan and China in the north and plays a crucial role in counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
He assumes his new role as army chief amidst an ongoing military standoff between India and China in the Ladakh sector, now in its fifth year. Despite ongoing negotiations, there is no immediate resolution in sight for the issues along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC). As Northern Army commander, General Dwivedi provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for operations along the northern and western borders and managed counter-terrorism operations in J&K. He also played a key role in negotiations with China to address issues along the LAC.
The defence ministry highlighted the dynamic global geo-strategic environment and the increasing challenges in the security domain due to technological advancements. “Operational preparedness to counter security threats to a rising nation would figure prominently as a key focus area for the army chief. Concurrently, a focused response strategy to myriad non-traditional security challenges too shall be a priority (for him) towards augmenting the nation’s defence,” the statement said.
General Dwivedi’s military career spans 40 years, during which he has held various significant positions, including deputy chief in the Army Headquarters, General Officer Commanding of the Yol-based HQs 9 Corps, director general of infantry, and Inspector General of Assam Rifles in the North-east. He has commanded his battalion in Kashmir and Rajasthan and has extensive experience in weapons procurement and technology integration.
He has also served in overseas missions in Somalia and Seychelles and attended prestigious courses such as the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, the Higher Command Course at Army War College in Mhow, and the US Army War College in Carlisle.
General Dwivedi’s focus will include indigenizing weapons and systems, integrating cutting-edge technologies into military systems, and enhancing operational effectiveness. “The General officer has a deep understanding of modern and emerging technologies in the security domain and possesses a thoughtful approach of harnessing and integrating cutting edge technologies into military systems to enhance operational effectiveness. This vision finds congruence to the ongoing pursuit of the Indian Army to fulfil its modernisation and capability development needs through Atmanirbharta,” the statement said.
He aims to promote a culture of trust, empower junior officers, and ensure the well-being of soldiers and veterans. He also takes on his new role as some National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies call for a review of the Agnipath scheme for short-term soldier recruitment. The scheme, introduced in June 2022, recruits soldiers for four years, with a provision to retain 25% for regular service. General Dwivedi also faces the ongoing task of creating theatre commands, a significant reform for optimizing military resources for future conflicts.
