General Upendra Dwivedi assumes his role as the 30th Indian Army Chief
The General has announced his vision and mission, outlining the crucial aspects he wants to focus on during his tenure as the Chief of Army Staff
New Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi received the Guard of honour on July 1, assuming his role as 30th Indian Army Chief. General Manoj Pande handed down the role over to General Dwivedi as he completed his 26-month tenure on 30 June.
“The glorious traditions of the Indian Army rest on the legacy of valour and sacrifice of our soldiers. On this occasion, I pay my solemn tributes to the bravehearts who have made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty,” General Dwivedi said, in an address after the ceremony.
General Dwivedi has immense experiencing and expertise dealing with border issues along China and Pakistan borders and has held the position of vice chief of Army. He has also provided strategic guidance for the counter-terrorism operation in J&K and Rajasthan. As the Army chief, his role will be to collaborate with the Navy and Air Force to defend and implement the government’s plan.
“To remain prepared for such threats (referring to the counter-terrorism operations in J&K) and distinctive requirements, it is crucial that we continuously equip our soldiers with state-of-the-art weapons and technology and continue to evolve our war-fighting strategies,” General Dwivedi said on his first day in office.
The General has also played a major role in modernising and equipping the command of the Indian Army. His vision aligns closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) and working in the defence sector, he aims to reduce India’s dependence on foreign defence imports while enhancing its own production and innovation capabilities, while promoting indigenous research, development and manufacturing.
His contribution to the military secretary’s branch and the Military Operations Directorate has been immense. As Director General of the infantry, he’d manage to speed up the capital procurement cases of weapons for all three services.
Another crucial aspect he wants to direct focus on is the Research and Development in the defence sector, calling for increased investment in defence research and emphasizing the need for closer collaboration between the military, academic institutions, and the private sector.
Alongside this, the General is also keeping human resource development in mind. He wants to train and upskill military personnel to be able to act at a level where they can handle advanced systems. He’s also been very particular about the fine line that one must tread in trying to generate self-reliance with limited economy, saying that no compromise should be made on the quality and reliability of the indigenous defence products. He has stressed that self-reliance should not come at the cost of operational effectiveness.
“This will ensure that India’s interests are secured, and we become a major pillar of nation-building to achieve the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat-2047′,” General Dwivedi said.
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