Meanwhile, in the Indian Army, Lt Gen Ajai Singh assumed charge as the 16th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN), the only tri-service theatre command of the armed forces, based at Port Blair.
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New Delhi, June 1
Lt Gen Manoj Pande on Tuesday took charge as the new commander of the operationally crucial Eastern Army Command at a time India has been maintaining a high state of combat readiness along the nearly 3,500 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in view of the border row in eastern Ladakh.
The Kolkata-headquartered Eastern Command takes care of guarding the LAC in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh sectors.
In another important posting, Lt Gen Ajai Singh became the 16th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) which is India’s only tri-service theatre command.
Lt Gen Singh succeeds Lt Gen Pande at the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
The armed forces saw a series of changes in the top hierarchy in the last two days, including new joinings in the posts of Commander-in-Chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command, Eastern Army Commander, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Director .
Lt Gen Pande was commissioned in the Bombay Sappers in December 1982. In his distinguished career, he has held several prestigious command and staff assignments in conventional as well as counter-insurgency operations in all types of terrain.
Armed forces get new faces in top hierarchy Abhishek Bhalla
The Indian armed forces has seen a major reshuffle with a number of new faces in the top hierarchy that includes a new deputy chief of Navy and commander-in-chiefs of two commands among others.
Lt Gen Manoj Pande took over the critical eastern command of the Indian Army based in Kolkata. He was replaced by Lt Gen Ajai Singh as the commander in chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC). The ANC is crucial for the military s planning as it s the only tri-service of the country and the model for synergy based on which theaterisation of the country s Army, Navy and Air Force capabilities is being planned.