Overview

• Lt Gen Pratik Sharma has taken over as the new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, succeeding Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar, who retired after 15 months in the role.
• The Northern Command, headquartered in Udhampur, oversees operations along the Pakistan and China borders and counter-terrorism efforts in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The leadership change comes in the wake of heightened border tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
• Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari has been appointed Vice Chief of Air Staff, replacing Air Marshal SP Dharkar, who has retired.
• Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will now lead tri-service coordination as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC).