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Lieutenant General Dinesh Singh Rana on Sunday assumed charge as the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), India’s only tri-service theatre command. He takes over from Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, becoming the 18th Commander to lead this strategically critical command, headquartered at Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Prior to this appointment, Lt Gen Rana served as the Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DGDIA) and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence) at HQ IDS. He relinquished these posts on 31 May 2025. Notably, he is the first Chief of Defence Intelligence to be elevated to the position of Commander-in-Chief — underscoring the growing prominence of defence intelligence and jointmanship in India’s military leadership.
Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana, relinquished the appointment of Director General Defence Intelligence Agency #DGDIA & Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Intelligence, HQ IDS on 31 May 25.
Lt Gen DS Rana assumes the appointment of Commander-in-Chief, Andaman & Nicobar Command… pic.twitter.com/vzU3k0PBI5
— HQ IDS (@HQ_IDS_India) June 1, 2025
Commissioned into the 10th Battalion of The Garhwal Rifles on 19 December 1987, Lt Gen Rana has had the rare distinction of commanding the very battalion he was commissioned into. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and has attended the National Defence College, New Delhi; the Centre for National Defence Studies, Madrid; and the National Defence University, USA. His academic journey is marked by exceptional performance, having topped several prestigious military courses.
In a distinguished career spanning over 37 years, Lt Gen Rana has held a wide range of operational, staff, and instructional appointments across varied terrains and conflict zones. His command tenures include an Infantry Brigade and Division in the Eastern Sector, as well as the Gajraj Corps along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). He has also served with the Indian Military Training Team and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
As an instructor, Lt Gen Rana has contributed to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun; the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad; and the Higher Command Wing at the Army War College, Mhow. His key staff assignments include Brigade Major of an Independent Armoured Brigade, Deputy Director General of Staff Duties, Brigadier Military Intelligence (East), Provost Marshal, and Director General of Staff Duties at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army).
For his exemplary service, Lt Gen Rana has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Yudh Seva Medal (YSM), Sena Medal (SM), and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card. As a young officer, he was awarded the Sena Medal and COAS Commendation for gallantry in Kashmir. He also holds a PhD in China’s defence modernisation.
Team BharatShakti
