Military

127 Joins Garud Force

To mark the successful completion of training of 127 Air Force Special Forces Operatives of Garud Force, Maroon Beret Ceremonial Parade was held on 12 February 2022 at Garud Regimental Training Centre (GRTC), Air Force Station Chandinagar. Chief Guest, Air Vice Marshal PS Karkare, Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration, Headquarter Western Air Command reviewed the parade.

Wing Commander Trilok Sharma, Commandant GRTC received the Chief Guest and presented brief on various training aspects.  

Lt Gen Manoj Pande New Vice Chief, Army

Lt Gen Manoj Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM took over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on 01 February 2022.

An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Lt Gen Manoj Pande was commissioned in December 1982 to the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). The General Officer commanded an Engineer Regiment during Operation Parakram in the sensitive Pallanwala Sector along the Line of Control of Jammu and Kashmir. He is a graduate of Staff College, Camberley (United Kingdom) and attended the Higher Command (HC) and National Defence College (NDC) Courses.

Decommissioned INS Khukri (P49) Handed to Diu

INS Khukri (P49), the first indigenously built missile corvette of Indian Navy, was handed over to the Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (DNHDD) Administration on 26 January 2022.  In an elegantly conducted but solemn ceremony held at the INS Khukri Memorial, Diu, Rear Admiral Ajay Vinay Bhave, Flag Officer Doctrine and Concepts, handed over the decommissioned ship formally to Shri Praful Patel, Hon'ble Administrator of the Union Territory of DNHDD & Lakshadweep.

Army Chief Reviews Sudarshan Corps

General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of Army Staff concluded a two day visit to Bhopal today. Lieutenant General JS Nain, Southern Army Commander was also present during the visit. The COAS was briefed by the Sudarshan Chakra Corps Commander and other commanders on operational preparedness and on the reforms being undertaken towards transforming the formation into a modern, cohesive, lean and agile war fighting force.

VS Pathania New DG Coast Guard

 Director General VS Pathania, took over as the 24th Chief of Indian Coast Guard on 31 Dec 21.  He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and National Defence College, New Delhi.  The Flag Officer is a qualified helicopter pilot and holds a Master’s Degree in Defence & Strategic Studies from the University of Madras.  He has also undergone specialization in Search and Rescue and port operations wit

RAdml Sanjay Bhalla new Eastern Fleet Commander

Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla took over the Command of the Eastern Fleet, the Sword Arm of the Eastern Naval Command, from Rear Admiral Tarun Sobti, VSM on 20 December 21. The change of guard took place at an impressive ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.  

 

Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1989 and is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare. The Flag Officer is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai and Royal College of Defence Studies, London.

Indian Navy – Innovating towards Nation Building

The Innovation Pavilion, set up at the Navy House on occasion of Navy Day 2021, was inaugurated by Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, on 04 Dec 2021 in presence of the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar. The pavilion showcased how Indian Navy has synergised innovation and Indigenisation efforts and collaborated with Academia and Industry, in keeping with the theme for this year’s Navy Day Indian Navy – Innovating towards Nation Building”, towards larger emphasis on Nation Building whilst keeping its focus on own Self-Reliance.