IAF to get new Vice Chief, tri-services to get new CISC, Army getting new Northern Army commander

Dharkar is superannuating on April 30 after an illustrious career of 40-plus years in the force. Air Marshal Tiwari is presently commanding the South Western Air Command in Gandhinagar.

He would be succeeded by the present Training Command chief. The tri-services integrated Defence Staff will get a new Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC)

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been approved to take over as the new CISC in place of Lt Gen JP Matthew, who is superannuating on April 30.

The CISC is responsible for coordination among the three services and is part of the Chief of Defence Staff team in managing the tri-services affairs.

Air Marshal Dixit is a Mirage 2000 fighter jet pilot and is presently heading the all-important Central Air Command in Prayagraj. He will be assuming his new office on May 1.

Meanwhile, the Northern Command of the Indian Army, responsible for operations along the China and Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh sectors, will get a new chief in Lt Gen Prateek Sharma.

Lt Gen Sharma is presently the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) in the Army Headquarters and has also served as Director General Military Operations.

The officer would be replacing the incumbent Lt Gen MV Suchendra Kumar who is superannuating on April 30.

Lt Gen Sharma had recently travelled with Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Friday to Srinagar post Pahalgam attack.