Two regional commands of the Indian Army that face Pakistan got new Commanders on Wednesday.
Lieutenant General Mohit Malhotra took over as the South-Western Army Commander headquartered at Jaipur while Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar, who was serving as the Commander of the 2 Strike Corps, Ambala, took over as the Southern Army Commander headquartered at Pune.
Both commands face Pakistan and would form the frontline in any attack against the western neighbour and the area of operations extends across the entire border with Pakistan in Gujrat and Rajasthan beside a small portion of southern part of Punjab.
The commands have a wide array of arsenal, including major armoured formations, infantry, attack helicopters, offensive rocket formations, artillery guns and air defence systems.
The Southern Command also has the 21 Strike Corps based out of Bhopal.
Lieutenant General Mohit Malhotra was commissioned into the 47 Armoured Regiment in June 1989. Immediately prior to assuming command, he served as Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Eastern Command, where he made substantial contributions to operational preparedness, organisational effectiveness and institutional cohesion.
His command experience spans some of the Army’s most demanding operational environments, including the Siachen Glacier, an Armoured Regiment, an Independent Armoured Brigade, an Armoured Division. These appointments have provided him with extensive expertise in operational planning and the conduct of complex multi-domain operations across diverse theatres.
Lieutenant General Malhotra holds two Master’s Degrees in Defence Studies, including one from Kings College, London, in addition to two M Phil degrees in Political Science and Defence and Strategic Studies.
Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar assumed command as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command. He succeeds Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, who has taken over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar was commissioned into 74 Armoured Regiment in December 1988. The General has had an illustrious and distinguished military career spanning over four decades. During his service, he has held a wide range of command, staff and instructional appointments across diverse geographical and operational environments.
He was 2 Strike Corps commander during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May last year.
The General has commanded an Armoured Regiment in an operational area, a strategic Independent Armoured Brigade, an Infantry Division.
He headed the Indian Military Training Team to Bhutan and as Defence and Military Attache, Embassy of India, Moscow.
These two changes are happening after the new Western Army commander Lt Gen Pushpendra Pal Singh, had taken over at Chandimandir in April.
