In a significant step, the government-appointed two new commanders for the Northern and Eastern Army commands which look after the major portion of India’s boundary with China.

While counter-insurgency expert Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi was appointed as the new Northern Army Commander in Udhampur, Lieutenant General RP Kalita was appointed as the chief of the Eastern Army Command in Kolkata.

“Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi appointed as the new Northern Army Commander. He is presently the Deputy Chief of Army Staff and would be succeeding Lt Gen YK Joshi in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir,” Indian Army officials said.

Lieutenant General RP Kalita was appointed as the new Eastern Army Command chief in Kolkata. He would be succeeding Lt Gen Manoj Pande who is moving to Army Headquarters as the new Vice Chief of the Army, they said.

The Northern Command looks after the counter-terrorism efforts in entire Jammu and Kashmir and protects the Line of Control in both the union territories. It also manages the Ladakh sector with an ongoing Operation Snow Leopard against Chinese aggression.

Lt Gen Dwivedi Is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in December 1984.

He has held many important positions in his career of more than 35 years. He led a battalion in the Assam Rifle Sector (Operation Rhino) of Manipur.