V K Singh to be next Army chief

NEW DELHI: LT General Vijay Kumar Singh, commander-in-chief of the Eastern Army Command, will be the next Indian Army chief, it was announced here on Friday. Mr Singh will take over from the incumbent Army chief General Deepak Kapoor on March 31, the defence ministry said.

The decision was taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Thursday.

Mr Singh was commissioned into the Rajput Regiment on June 14, 1970. During his career spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in a variety of command, staff and instructional appointments.

He participated in the 1971 war against Pakistan and Indian Peace Keeping Force operations in Sri Lanka. Prior to his present appointment, he commanded a Corps in the western sector.

Besides being an honours graduate of the US Army Infantry School in Georgia, Singh is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, the Army War College and the US Army War College, Carlisle.