Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh is scheduled to take over the reins of the Western Command on April 1

Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service

Stating that the Western Command has taken huge strides in all spheres, Lt Gen Manoj Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, said that during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the formations under the command performed exceedingly and were able to counter all hostile actions by Pakistan.

“Post-Operation Sindoor, we continue to remain prepared for any contingency and are inducting new equipment. We are fabricating drones in-house at our own workshops on a mass scale and also developing counter-drone technologies to enhance our capabilities,” he said while speaking to the media on the eve of his retirement after about 40 years of service.

Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh, a decorated Special Forces officer presently serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff at Army Headquarters, is scheduled to take over the reins of the Western Command on April 1.

The Western Command has also been actively involved in rendering aid to civil authorities during times of natural calamities like the recent floods in Punjab, and the Army continues to get whole hearted support from the state government as well as the local populace, Lt Gen Katiyar said.

The Command’s focus has also been on improving the facilities for all serving personnel, their families and veterans. “There is greater impetus to improve the habitat, schools and colleges as well as the hospitals,” he said.

Commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Rajput Regiment in June 1986, Lt Gen Katiyar has served across diverse and challenging operational environments, including the Siachen Glacier, the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control.

Prior to assuming charge of the Western Command on July 1, 2023, he held several key appointments of strategic importance, including Director General of Military Operations at the Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) and General Officer Commanding 1 Corps, a strike formation, where he played a pivotal role in enhancing operational preparedness and force integration.

An alumnus of Sainik School, Ghorakhal, National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College. He is also a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College, United States and has served as an instructor with the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan.

Lt Gen Katiyar has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service. He also held the appointment of Colonel of the Rajput