The government announced late night on Tuesday, the appointment of Lt Gen Dwivedi as India’s next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), putting to rest all speculation sparked off by last month’s decision to give a month-long extension to Gen Manoj Pande, who was to retire on 31 May.
Lt Gen Dwivedi, currently the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) will take over as the 30th Chief of the Indian Army on the afternoon of 30th June according to a government notification issued late on Tuesday night.
Commissioned into the 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles or JAK RIF on 15 December 1984, Lt Gen Dwivedi is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh like the current Indian Navy Chief Adm Dinesh Tripathi. This perhaps makes it the first occasion in recent times that two alumni of the same Sainik School will be heading their respective service.
Prior to becoming the VCOAS, Lt Gen Dwivedi was the Northern Army Commander between 2022 and February 2024 (See his Interview with me here: ), at a time when the standoff with the Chinese along the LAC in Ladakh was still at a complicated stage.
Lt Gen Dwivedi has also commanded the Yol-based 9 Corps and has had the experience of leading Assam Rifles formations in the north-east both in the rank of a Brigadier as well as a Major General.
The Officer, during his illustrious career spanning 39 years, has tenanted various staff appointments in Headquarter Armoured Brigade, Mountain Division, Strike Corps and at the Army HQ. As an instructor at Indian Military Academy and Army War College (Higher Command), he shaped the future generations of the three services and Friendly Foreign Countries.
As DCOAS (IS&C), the Lt Gen Dwivedi gave impetus to automation and absorption of niche technology in the Indian Army and also started a China-focused training course for senior officers by bringing in non-military but China specialist faculty to broaden the understanding of the Indian Army’s middle and senior level leadership about China and its military. Being a technology enthusiast, he worked towards enhancing the tech-threshold of all ranks in Northern Command and pushed for Critical & Emerging Technologies like Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum and Blockchain based solutions.
Lt Gen Dwivedi’s two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Seychelles as Military Advisor to the Govt of Seychelles. Besides attending Staff College, Wellington & Higher Command Course at AWC, Mhow, the officer was conferred ‘Distinguished Fellow’ in the coveted NDC equivalent course at US Army War College Carlisle. Complementing his illustrious military career, are an M Phil in Defence & Management Studies, in addition to the two Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies and Military Science, including one from the US Army War College.
Married to Mrs Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate, who is a home maker, the couple is blessed with two daughters.
By Nitin A. Gokhale
