Vice Chief of the Army Staff (India) explained

Vice Chief of the Army Staff (India) should not be confused with Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (India).

Post:Vice Chief
Body:the Army Staff
Flag:Flag of Indian Vice Chief of Army Staff.svg
Flagsize:150
Flagborder:yes
Flagcaption:Flag of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff
Incumbent:Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani
Incumbentsince:30 June 2024
Status:Second in command
Abbreviation:VCOAS
Reports To: Chief of the Army Staff
Seat:Army HQ, New Delhi
Appointer:ACC
Constituting Instrument:Army Act, 1950 (Act No. 46 of 1950)
First:P. P. Kumaramangalam

The Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) is a statutory position in the Indian Armed Forces usually held by a three star lieutenant general. As the second highest-ranking officer to serve in the Indian Army, the VCOAS is the deputy professional head of the Indian Army and a senior adviser to the Minister of Defence. The office holder is usually the second most senior army officer unless the Chief of Defence is an army officer.

Eleven of the forty Vice Chiefs have gone on to head the Indian Army as the Chief of the Army Staff.

The current VCOAS is Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani who assumed the office on 1st July 2024.

History

In the British Indian Army, the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) assisted the Commander-in-Chief, India.

After the Independence, the CGS remained the number two officer in the Indian Army below the Commander-in-Chief, India. and later the Chief of Army Staff. In January 1959, the post of Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS) was created to replace the CGS at the Army HQ. The DCOAS was the second-in-command and was equivalent to an Army Commander (GOC-in-C).

In January 1965, the CGS post became the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, with the DCOAS becoming a PSO appointment.[1] [2]

Lieutenant General P.P. Kumaramangalam took over as the first VCOAS.

Order of Precedence

The VCOAS ranks at No. 23 on the Indian order of precedence, along with the Vice Chiefs of Staff of the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force and the Army Commanders (GOC-in-C), Naval Commanders (FOC-in-C) and Air Commanders (AOC-in-C).[3]

The VCOAS is at the Apex Pay grade (Grade 17), with a monthly pay of ₹225,000 (US$3,200).[4]

Appointment

The Vice Chief of Army staff is appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, from among the senior general officers of the Army. Since the appointment is of Commander-in-Chief grade, the appointees are usually one of the Army Commanders of the seven commands.

Unlike the Chief of Army Staff, there is no fixed term nor term limit to the position of the VCOAS, although most of those appointed to the office have typically served for two or three year tenures.

Appointees

The following table chronicles the appointees to the office of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.

S.No.PortraitNameAssumed officeLeft officeUnit of CommissionCOASRef
1Lieutenant GeneralParamsiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, 15 January 19657 June 1966Regiment of ArtilleryGen. J. N. Chaudhuri[5] [6]
2Lieutenant GeneralKashmir Singh Katoch, 8 June 196622 November 1970East Surrey RegimentGen. Kumaramangalam[7]
Gen. Manekshaw
3Lieutenant General Har Prasad, 23 November 197031 October 19733rd Cavalry[8]
Gen. Bewoor
4Lieutenant General Mohan Lal Thapan, 1 November 197331 July 1974Jat Regiment[9]
5Lieutenant GeneralNaveen Chand Rawlley, 1 August 197431 December 197512th Frontier Force[10]
Gen. Raina
6Lieutenant General A. M. Vohra, 1 January 197619 January 19773rd Gorkha Rifles[11]
7Lieutenant General Om Prakash Malhotra, 20 January 197731 May 1978Regiment of Artillery[12]
8Lieutenant General Stanley Leslie Menezes, 1 July 197831 January 1980The GrenadiersGen. Malhotra[13] [14]
9Lieutenant General Jaswant Singh, 1 February 19806 July 1980Punjab Regiment
10Lieutenant General Adi Meherji Sethna, 7 July 198031 December 19826th Rajputana Rifles[15]
Gen. Krishna Rao
11Lieutenant GeneralSrinivas Kumar Sinha, 1 January 19831 June 1983Jat Regiment[16] [17] [18]
12Lieutenant General Gajendra Singh Rawat, 5 August 198331 December 19845th Gorkha Rifles (FF)Gen. Vaidya[19] [20]
13Lieutenant General Krishnaswamy Sundarji, 13 February 198531 January 19862 Mahar Regiment[21] [22]
14Lieutenant General K. K. Hazari, 1 February 198631 May 1987Regiment of ArtilleryGen. Sundarji
15Lieutenant General J. K. Puri, 1 June 198731 August 1987Regiment of Artillery[23]
16Lieutenant General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, 1 November 198720 April 1989Regiment of Artillery[24]
Gen. Sharma
17Lieutenant General V. K. Sood, 15 May 198929 February 1992Dogra Regiment[25]
Gen. Rodrigues
18Lieutenant General Vijai Singh, 1 March 199230 June 19938th Light Cavalry[26]
19Lieutenant General Surinder Nath, 1 July 199330 June 1995Regiment of ArtilleryGen. Joshi
Gen. S. R. Chowdhary
20Lieutenant General M. L. Dar, 1 July 199531 July 199617th Horse (Poona Horse)[27]
21Lieutenant General Ved Prakash Malik, 1 August 199630 September 1997Sikh Light Infantry
22Lieutenant GeneralChandra Shekhar, 1 October 199730 September 20004th Gorkha RiflesGen. Malik[28]
23Lieutenant General Vijay Oberoi, 1 October 200030 September 2001Maratha Light InfantryGen. Padmanabhan[29]
24Lieutenant General Nirmal Chand Vij, 1 October 200131 December 2002Dogra Regiment
25Lieutenant General Shantonu Choudhry, 1 January 200331 December 2004Regiment of ArtilleryGen. Vij[30] [31]
26Lieutenant GeneralBhupinder Singh Thakur, 15 January 200530 September 2005Central India Horse[32] [33]
Gen. J. J. Singh
27Lieutenant General S. Pattabhiraman, 1 October 200531 December 2006Bombay Sappers[34] [35]
28Lieutenant General Deepak Kapoor, 1 January 200730 September 2007Regiment of Artillery[36] [37]
29Lieutenant General Milan Lalitkumar Naidu, 1 October 200731 December 2008Rajput RegimentGen. Kapoor[38] [39] [40]
30Lieutenant General Noble Thamburaj, 1 January 200830 September 2009Bombay Sappers[41] [42] [43]
31Lieutenant General Prabodh Chandra Bhardwaj, 1 October 200930 November 2010Parachute Regiment[44] [45] [46]
Gen. V. K. Singh
32Lieutenant General Arvinder Singh Lamba, 6 December 201030 September 2011Regiment of Artillery[47] [48]
33Lieutenant GeneralSri Krishna Singh, 1 October 201131 December 20138th Gorkha Rifles[49]
Gen. Bikram Singh
34Lieutenant GeneralDalbir Singh Suhag, 1 January 201431 July 20145th Gorkha Rifles (FF)[50]
35Lieutenant GeneralPhilip Campose, 1 August 201431 July 20159th Gorkha RiflesGen. Dalbir Singh[51] [52]
36Lieutenant GeneralMan Mohan Singh Rai, 1 August 201531 July 2016Bombay Sappers[53]
37Lieutenant GeneralBipin Rawat, 1 September 201631 December 201611th Gorkha Rifles[54]
38Lieutenant GeneralSarath Chand, 13 January 201731 May 2018Garhwal RiflesGen. Rawat[55]
39Lieutenant GeneralDevraj Anbu, 1 June 201831 August 2019Sikh Light Infantry[56]
40Lieutenant GeneralManoj Mukund Naravane, 1 September 201930 December 2019Sikh Light Infantry[57]
41Lieutenant GeneralSatinder Kumar Saini, 25 January 202031 January 2021Jat RegimentGen. Naravane[58]
42Lieutenant GeneralChandi Prasad Mohanty, 1 February 202131 January 2022Rajput Regiment[59]
43Lieutenant GeneralManoj Pande, 1 February 202230 April 2022Bombay Sappers[60]
44Lieutenant GeneralBaggavalli Somashekar Raju 1 May 202228 February 2023Jat RegimentGen. Pande[61]
45Lieutenant GeneralM. V. Suchindra Kumar, 1 March 202318 February 2024Assam Regiment[62]
46Lieutenant GeneralUpendra Dwivedi, 19 February 202430 June 2024Jammu and Kashmir RIfles[63]
47Lieutenant GeneralN. S. Raja Subramani, 1 July 2024IncumbentGarhwal RiflesGen. Dwivedi[64]

See also

Notes

1.Later promoted to the post of General and the Chief of Army Staff.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Changes in Senior Army Appointments. Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 December 1958. 11 January 2021.
  2. Web site: Deputy Army Chief Retires. Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 18 November 1964. 11 January 2021.
  3. Web site: Office of the President of India . . 2010-08-05 . 1979-08-26 . President's Secretariat.
  4. Web site: Report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission . https://web.archive.org/web/20151120092637/http://7cpc.india.gov.in/pdf/sevencpcreport.pdf . dead . 20 November 2015 . 20 November 2015 . 2023-03-30.
  5. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 73 . 6 February 1965 . The Gazette of India.
  6. Web site: INDIAN DELEGATION TO TASHKENT . pibarchive.nic.in.
  7. Web site: LT. GEN. K.S. KATOCH RETIRES . pibarchive.nic.in.
  8. Web site: Singapore Defence Minister Leaves for Agra . pibarchive.nic.in.
  9. Web site: COMMEMORATION OF FRIENDSHIP . pibarchive.nic.in.
  10. Web site: RMY CHIEF TAKES OVER AS HONORARY COLONEL OF THE GUARDS . pibarchive.nic.in.
  11. Web site: GENERAL RAINA'S SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY . pibarchive.nic.in.
  12. Web site: LT GENERAL O.P. MALHOTRA DESIGNATED ARMY CHIEF . pibarchive.nic.in.
  13. Web site: Lt-Gen Stanley Menezes. The Telegraph.
  14. Web site: SHRI JAGJIVAN RAM TO VISIT BULGARIA, ROMANIA AND U.K. . pibarchive.nic.in.
  15. Web site: TENT PEGGING BEING INCLUDED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ASIAD EQUESTRIAN . pibarchive.nic.in.
  16. Web site: Press Information Bureau. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021003750/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=153742. 2017-10-21.
  17. Web site: Lt Gen SK Sinha – Brown Pundits. 2021-07-31. www.brownpundits.com.
  18. Web site: Roychowdhury. Shankar. 2016-11-19. Tribute: The 'thinking man's soldier'. 2021-07-31. Deccan Chronicle. en.
  19. Web site: EMINENT SHERWOODIANS. Old Sherwoodians.
  20. Web site: FAREWELL GUARD OF HONOUR TO LT GEN G S RAWAT, VICE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF . pibarchive.nic.in.
  21. Web site: Indian Army: Polishing the brass. India Today.
  22. Web site: ANTARCTICA WINTERING TEAM MEETS DEFENCE MINISTER - EXPERIENCE RECOUNTED . pibarchive.nic.in.
  23. Web site: LT GEN J K PURI VICE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF RETIRES . pibarchive.nic.in.
  24. Web site: NEW ARMY COMMANDERS AND VICE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF ANNOUNCED . pibarchive.nic.in.
  25. Web site: ARMY COMMANDERS' CONFERENCE . pibarchive.nic.in.
  26. Web site: March 31, 1992. Lt-General Vijai Singh appointed new Vice-Chief of Army Staff. India Today.
  27. Web site: RELEASE OF COMMEMORATIVE STAMP MARKS PLATINUM JUBILEE OF HEADQUARTERS DELHI AREA . pibarchive.nic.in.
  28. Web site: The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News . www.tribuneindia.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171020135706/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000801/main5.htm. 2017-10-20.
  29. Web site: Welcome to Warwounded. warwounded.org. 2017-10-20. 21 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021004719/http://warwounded.org/war_wounded_final/office-bearers.html. dead.
  30. Web site: Minor reshuffle likely at Army hq.. The Hindu. 2002-11-01.
  31. Web site: JJ Singh to take over as Army chief. . https://web.archive.org/web/20170116064004/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/J-J-Singh-to-take-over-as-Army-chief/articleshow/938692.cms. 2017-01-16. live.
  32. Web site: New Vice-Chief of Army Staff. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050216072830/http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/01/stories/2005010106131100.htm. The Hindu. 2005-01-01. 2005-02-16.
  33. Web site: Press Information Bureau. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021004426/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=12392. 2017-10-21.
  34. Web site: Pattabhiraman to be Army Vice-Chief. www.tribuneindia.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20051108180504/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050902/main5.htm. 2005-11-08.
  35. Web site: Press Information Bureau. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021004024/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=12469. 2017-10-21.
  36. Web site: Deepak Kapoor, next Vice Chief of Army Staff. www.thehindu.com.
  37. Web site: Press Information Bureau. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021005004/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=29426. 2017-10-21.
  38. Web site: Milan Naidu to be Vice-Chief of Army Staff. www.indianexpress.com.
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  40. Web site: Lt Gen Naidu takes over as Vice-Chief of Army Staff - Indian Express. archive.indianexpress.com. en-gb. 2017-10-20.
  41. Web site: Thamburaj takes charge as Vice-Chief of Army Staff. www.thehindu.com/.
  42. News: Lt. Gen. Thamburaj, next Army Vice-Chief. 2008-11-19. The Hindu. 2017-10-20. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  43. News: Lt. Gen Noble Thamburaj takes over as Vice Chief of the Army staff. Thaindian News. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021004847/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/lt-gen-noble-thamburaj-takes-over-as-vice-chief-of-the-army-staff_100137221.html. 2017-10-21.
  44. Web site: Lt Gen P C Bhardwaj to be next Army vice chief. indianexpress.com/. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171020135958/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/latest-news/lt-gen-p-c-bhardwaj-to-be-next-army-vice-chief/. 2017-10-20.
  45. News: Lt Gen P C Bhardwaj to take over as Army Vice Chief on Oct 1. 2017-10-20.
  46. News: Lt Gen P C Bhardwaj to be next Army vice chief. 2009-09-01. The Indian Express. 2017-10-20. en-US. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171020135958/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/latest-news/lt-gen-p-c-bhardwaj-to-be-next-army-vice-chief/. 2017-10-20.
  47. Web site: Lt. Gen. Lamba takes charge as Vice-Chief of Army Staff. www.thehindu.com.
  48. Web site: Lt Gen Lambda takes over as Army vice chief. . https://web.archive.org/web/20101211151739/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lt-Gen-Lamba-takes-over-as-Army-vice-chief/articleshow/7054283.cms. 2010-12-11. live.
  49. Web site: Lt Gen SK Singh is new army vice chief. hindustantimes.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171020190703/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/lt-gen-sk-singh-is-new-army-vice-chief/story-ghEpOquGvUPVY16VrhNukJ.html. 2017-10-20.
  50. Web site: Lt General Bipin singh rawat Takes over as Army Vice Chief. 5 August 2014. NDTV. 24 May 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160624111658/http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lt-general-campose-takes-over-as-army-vice-chief-611232. 24 June 2016.
  51. Web site: Press Information Bureau. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021004812/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=124041. 2017-10-21.
  52. Web site: Press Information Bureau. 2017-10-20. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171021004809/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=107966. 2017-10-21.
  53. News: Lt Gen M M S Rai takes over as the new vice chief of Army staff - The Economic Times. The Economic Times. 2016-04-01. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150804082740/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/lt-gen-m-m-s-rai-takes-over-as-the-new-vice-chief-of-army-staff/articleshow/48309389.cms. 2015-08-04.
  54. Web site: Lt Gen Bipin Rawat to take over as the VCOAS . pibarchive.nic.in.
  55. Web site: Lieutenant General Sarath Chand Takes over as Vice Chief of Army Staff . pib.nic.in . PIB.
  56. Web site: Lt Gen Devraj Anbu Assumes Charge as VCOAS . pib.nic.in . PIB.
  57. News: Naravane appointed as new Vice Chief of Indian Army, four army commanders appointed. Shaurya Karanbir. Gurung. The Economic Times. 31 August 2019.
  58. Web site: admin . 2020-01-25 . Lt Gen SK Saini Appointed Vice Chief of Indian Army . 2024-06-11 . Bharat Shakti . en-US.
  59. Web site: LT GEN CP Mohanty takes over as Vice Chief of the Army Staff. PIB. 1 February 2021.
  60. 1483352139535876103. ANI. Government of India approves the proposal for the appointment of Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Manoj Pande as the next Vice Chief of Army Staff: Sources. 2022-01-18.
  61. LIEUTENANT GENERAL BAGGAVALLI SOMASHEKAR RAJU TO TAKE OVER AS VICE CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF ON 01 MAY 2022. PIB. 2022-04-29.
  62. Web site: Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar To Be Appointed As Army Vice Chief . 2024-06-04 . NDTV.com.
  63. Web site: Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi takes charge as 46th Vice Chief of Army Staff. . 2024-02-19.
  64. Web site: 1 July 2024 . LIEUTENANT GENERAL NS RAJA SUBRAMANI, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM TAKES OVER AS VICE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF . 2024-07-01 . pib.gov.in.

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