Lt Gen Cheema made interim commander of Western Army

Lieutenant general Jagbir Singh Cheema, general officer commanding, Vajra Corps, has been nominated as officiating general officer commanding-in-chief of Western Command with effect from August 1. But it’s an interim arrangement, says the army headquarters.

Current GOC-in-C lieutenant general KJ Singh will superannuate after almost four decades on July 31. “With the interim arrangement, there will be no vacuum in the functioning of the Western Command headquarters and the chain of command will be intact,” says a Western Command press statement issued here on Thursday.

It’s unprecedented to have no name cleared for the army commander’s post. Lieutenant general Cheema has been in command of the prestigious Vajra Corps since August 21, 2015. He fought insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.

Outgoing Western Army commander lieutenant general KJ Singh presided over a video conference with the corps commanders and principal staff officers to finalise modalities and response strategy for high operational preparedness. He appreciated the high morale of the troops.