Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh and Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, AVSM, NM assumed the roles of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, and the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), respectively on Friday.
Singh, who took charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on Thursday, was earlier working as Director General Operational Logistics and Strategic Movement at the Army Headquarters.
He was commissioned into 4th Battalion, the Parachute regiment (Special Forces) in December 1987.
An alumnus of La’ Martiniere College, Lucknow, Lucknow University and the prestigious Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Singh has served in several military operations and has had multiple tenures in ‘OP RAKSHAK’, an official document released here said.
During his illustrious career spanning 38 years, the General Officer has held various Command and Staff appointments. He commanded a Special Forces Unit in the Kashmir Valley and on the Line of Control.
He later commanded an Infantry Brigade and a Mountain Division in ‘OP SNOW LEOPARD’ along the Line of Actual Control.
The General Officer also served as GOC of a Corps headquartered in Himachal Pradesh and responsible for sensitive Jammu, Samba and Pathankot areas.
For his distinguished service to the Nation, the General Officer has been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Bar Sena Medal.
While Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, AVSM, NM, who assumed charge as the 47th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) on 1 August 2025, paid solemn homage to the Bravehearts by laying a floral wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi right after assuming the charge.
An alumnus of the 71st course National Defence Academy, Pune, Vatsayan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 Jan 1988.
A specialist in Gunnery and Missile Systems, he has held a wide range of command, operational and staff assignments over his distinguished naval career spanning more than three decades, the document said.
A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Naval War College, Goa and the prestigious National Defence College, New Delhi, the Flag Officer has also excelled in key strategic and policy-oriented Staff roles.
His appointments at Naval Headquarters include Joint Director and Director of Personnel (Policy), Director Naval Plans (Perspective Planning) and Principal Director Naval Plans.