Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh, AVSM, SM & bar is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. He currently serves as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command. He previously served as the 48th Vice Chief of the Army Staff. prior to that he was Director General of Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement. He earlier served as General Officer Commanding IX Corps, and as Chief of Staff, Central Command. He is also the Colonel of the Regiment of the Parachute Regiment since 1 November 2022.
Early life and education The general officer is an alumnus of La Martinière College, Lucknow and the Lucknow University. He then attended the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He also attended the Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Defence Management Course at College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and Advance Professional Programme in Public Administration at Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi. He holds a master's in management studies from Osmania University and a master's in philosophy from Punjabi University.
Military career He was commissioned into the 4th battalion of the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) on 19 December 1987 from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. In a career spanning over 37 years, he has tenanted various Command and Staff appointments and served across various operational, field and highly active Counter Insurgency area. He participated in numerous military operations, including Operation Pawan, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Rakshak and Operation Orchid. He also served in the United Nations under UNIFIL and Sri Lanka. He commanded a Special Forces Unit in the Kashmir Valley and on the Line of Control. As a brigadier, he served as the brigade commander of an Infantry Brigade and as a Major general, he has commanded a Mountain Division during 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes. Later on, he served as MG GS at headquarters Central Command. He has also served at the Infantry School, situated at Mhow and at the Strategic Forces Command.
After getting promoted to the rank of Lieutenant general, he assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff, Central Command. Later on, 14 April 2022, he took over as the General Officer Commanding IX Corps. A year later in June 2023, he was appointed as the Director General Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement.
On 1 August 2025, Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh took over as the 48th Vice Chief of the Army Staff succeeding Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani when the latter superannuated on 31 July 2025. He relinquished the appointment of Vice Chief of Army Staff on 30 March 2026. On 1 April 2026, he took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command succeeding Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar who superannuated on 31 March 2026.
Awards and decorations The general officer has been awarded with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025, the Sena Medal in 2015 and a Bar to Sena Medal in 2021. He has also been awarded with COAS Commendation card twice and Army Commander's commendation.
Ati Vishisht Seva MedalBar to Sena MedalWound MedalSamanya Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalSiachen Glacier MedalOperation Parakram MedalSainya Seva Medal High Altitude Medal Videsh Seva Medal 75th Independence Anniversary Medal 50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service MedalUNIFIL
Dates of rank InsigniaRankComponentDate of rankSecond LieutenantIndian Army19 December 1987LieutenantIndian Army19 December 1989CaptainIndian Army19 December 1992MajorIndian Army19 December 1998Lieutenant ColonelIndian Army16 December 2004ColonelIndian Army1 January 2008BrigadierIndian Army14 February 2014 (acting)5 December 2014 (substantive, seniority from 2 February 2012)Major GeneralIndian Army1 October 2019 (seniority from 1 January 2018)Lieutenant GeneralIndian Army9 December 2021
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