The government announced on Saturday the names of the new army and airforce chief along with the heads of the spy agencies.
Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat will take over as the new chief of army staff from General Dalbir Singh Suhag as the head of the 1.3 million strong force and Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa has been chosen as the new chief of the Indian Air Force, the ministry said.
The government also announced Anil Dhasmana as the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing while Rajiv Jain will head the domestic agency Intelligence Bureau.
These are the first high profile defence appointments by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
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Here’s a look at the appointments:
INDIAN ARMY: Lt Gen Bipin Rawat
Commissioned in the 11 Gorkha Rifles in December 1978, Rawat has commanded an infantry battalion along the Line of Actual Control, a Rashtriya Rifles sector and an infantry division in the Kashmir Valley. He has vast experience in high-altitude warfare and counter-insurgency operations.
INDIAN AIR FORCE: Air Marshal BS Dhanoa
{{/usCountry}}INDIAN AIR FORCE: Air Marshal BS Dhanoa
{{/usCountry}}Dhanoa has flown various types of fighter aircraft and is a qualified flying instructor. He commanded a fighter squadron during the Kargil Operations and flew numerous night strike missions in the mountainous terrain.
INTELLIGENCE BUREAU: Rajiv Jain
The New IB chief is expected to sharpen focus on coordinating the government’s financial surveillance programme after demonetisation.
RESEARCH and ANALYSIS WING: Anil Kumar Dhasmana
Anil Kumar Dhasmana, who joined the RAW in 1993 from his parent cadre Madhya Pradesh, has worked extensively with the external intelligence agency’s Pakistan desk.
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(With inputs from agencies)