Northern Command (India)
Northern Command | |
---|---|
![]() Insignia of Northern Command | |
Active | 1908–1947 1972 – present |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Command |
HQ | Udhampur |
Motto(s) | Forever in operations |
Commanders | |
GOC-in-C | Lt Gen M. V. Suchindra Kumar PVSM, AVSM, YSM**, VSM |
Notable commanders | Lt Gen P. S. Bhagat Gen S. Padmanabhan Gen Deepak Kapoor Gen Upendra Dwivedi |
Insignia | |
Flag | ![]() |
The Northern Command is a Command of the Indian Army. It was originally formed as the Northern Army of the British Indian Army in 1908. It was scrapped upon India's independence in 1947 and later re-raised in 1972. Currently, the XIV Corps (Leh), XV Corps (Srinagar), I Corps (Mathura) and XVI Corps (Nagrota) are under its control. Its present commander is Lieutenant General M. V. Suchindra Kumar.
History
[edit]The Presidency armies were abolished with effect from 1 April 1895 when the three Presidency armies became the Indian Army.[1] The Indian Army was divided into four Commands: Bengal Command, Bombay Command, Madras Command and Punjab Command, each under a lieutenant general.[1]
In 1908, the four commands were merged into two Armies: Northern Army and Southern Army. This system persisted until 1920 when the arrangement reverted to four commands again :- Eastern Command, Northern Command, Southern Command and Western Command.[1]
In 1937, Western Command was downgraded to become the Western Independent District. In April 1942, the Western Independent District was absorbed into the Northern Command which itself was re-designated as North Western Army to guard the borders at North West Frontier during World War II. It controlled the Kohat, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Baluchistan and Waziristan Districts.[2][3]
The formation reverted to the title Northern Command in November 1945.[4] In 1947, India moved towards partition, with Northern Command HQ at Rawalpindi becoming the Army HQ of the newly formed Pakistan Army (as GHQ Pakistan), with the rest of commands passing to the Indian Army.[5]
In 1972, the Government of India decided to raise a separate command to oversee operations in the northern borders with Pakistan and China. Lt. Gen. P. S. Bhagat was appointed as its GOC-in-C in June 1972. Bhagat's main activities as Army Commander were the improvement of defence and the living and working condition of his troops.[6] Headquarters for the command was established at Udhampur, J&K.[7]
The XIV Corps (Leh), XV Corps (Srinagar) and XVI Corps (Nagrota) control the operational units in Northern Command. 71 Independent Sub Area is part of the Command. In 2001–02, during Operation Parakram the III Corps and its 57th Mountain Division were temporarily shifted into the command as a reserve.[7]
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Dhruva_War_Memorial.jpg/138px-Dhruva_War_Memorial.jpg)
Structure
[edit]Currently, the Northern Commands has been assigned operational units under four corps: XIV Corps, I Corps, XV Corps and XVI Corps.
In 2021, the Strike One Corps was re-organised to join the Northern Command to assist at the Ladakh border with China.[8][9]
Structure of Northern Command | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Corps | Corps HQ | GOC of Corps
(Corps Commander) |
Assigned Units | Unit HQ | |
![]() |
XIV Corps
(Fire and Fury Corps) |
Leh, Ladakh | Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla | 3 Infantry Division | Karu, Ladakh |
8 Mountain Division | Dras, Ladakh | ||||
254 (Independent) Armoured Brigade | Leh, Ladakh | ||||
102 (Independent) Infantry Brigade | Partapur, Ladakh | ||||
118 (Independent) Infantry Brigade | Nyoma, Ladakh | ||||
![]() |
XV Corps
(Chinar Corps) |
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir | Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai | 19 Mountain Division | Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir |
28 Infantry Division | Gurez, Jammu & Kashmir | ||||
Rashtriya Rifles "Kilo Force" | N/A | ||||
Rashtriya Rifles "Victor Force" | N/A | ||||
![]() |
XVI Corps
(White Knight Corps) |
Nagarota, Jammu & Kashmir | Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva | 10 RAPID Division | Akhnoor, Jammu & Kashmir |
25 Armoured Division | Rajauri, Jammu & Kashmir | ||||
39 Mountain Division | Yol, Himachal Pradesh | ||||
Rashtriya Rifles "Delta Force" | N/A | ||||
Rashtriya Rifles "Romeo Force" | N/A | ||||
Rashtriya Rifles "Uniform Force" | N/A | ||||
10 Artillery Brigade | N/A | ||||
![]() |
I Corps
(Strike One Corps) |
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh | Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra | 4 RAPID Division | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh |
6 Mountain Division | Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh | ||||
42 Artillery Division | Bassi, Rajasthan | ||||
14 (Independent) Armoured Brigade | Bhatinda, Punjab |
Precursors (1895–1947)
[edit]Following is the List of precursors to the Northern Command and their commanders:[10]
Punjab Command (1895–1907)
[edit]General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Punjab Command | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
1 | General | April 1895 | Nov 1898 | 44th Bengal Native Infantry |
2 | General | Nov 1898 | March 1900 | 5th Bengal Light Infantry |
Acting | Lieutenant General | March 1899 | Oct 1901 | 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot |
3 | General | Oct 1901 | Oct 1904 | Royal Engineers |
Northern Command (1904–1908)
[edit]General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
1 | General | Oct 1904 | June 1907 | Royal Engineers |
Northern Army (1908–1920)
[edit]General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Army | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
1 | General | June 1907 | Nov 1908 | Sutherland Highlanders |
2 | Lieutenant General | Nov 1908 | Oct 1910 | Royal Artillery |
3 | Lieutenant General | Oct 1910 | Aug 1914 | 100th Regiment of Foot |
4 | Lieutenant General | Aug 1914 | Feb 1915 | 72nd Highlanders |
5 | General | Feb 1915 | Apr 1915 | 75th Regiment of Foot |
Vacant | Apr 1915 | May 1916 | - | |
6 | General | May 1916 | May 1920 | 44th Regiment of Foot |
Northern Command (1920–1942)
[edit]General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
1 | General | Nov 1920 | Nov 1924 | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
2 | General | Nov 1924 | May 1926 | Worcestershire Regiment |
3 | General | May 1926 | May 1930 | Indian Staff Corps |
4 | General | May 1930 | May 1934 | Indian Staff Corps |
5 | General | May 1934 | May 1936 | 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles |
6 | General | May 1936 | Jun 1940 | Indian Staff Corps |
7 | General | Jun 1940 | Jan 1942 | Durham Light Infantry |
8 | General | Jan 1942 | Apr 1942 | 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry |
North-Western Army (1942–1945)
[edit]General Officer Commanding-in-Chief North-Western Army | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
1 | General | Apr 1942 | May 1943 | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
2 | General | May 1943 | Aug 1943 | Worcestershire Regiment |
3 | General | Aug 1943 | May 1945 | Indian Staff Corps |
Acting | Major-general
Cecil Toovey CB, CBE, MC* |
Jun 1945 | Oct 1945 | Indian Staff Corps |
4 | General | Oct 1945 | Nov 1945 | Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) |
Northern Command (1945–1947)
[edit]General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission | Ref |
1 | General | Nov 1945 | May 1946 | Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) | |
Acting | Lieutenant General | May 1946 | Oct 1946 | Royal Munster Fusiliers | |
2 | Lieutenant General | Oct 1946 | Aug 1947 | 9th Hodson's Horse | [11] |
List of GOC-in-C of Northern Command (1972–present)
[edit]Following is the list of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command after its re-raising in 1972:
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S.No | Rank | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission | Ref |
1 | Lieutenant General | Premindra Singh Bhagat PVSM VC | June 1972 | 28 July 1974 | Bombay Sappers | [6] |
2 | H. C. Rai PVSM | 28 July 1974 | 31 July 1978 | Rajputana Rifles | [12] | |
3 | Gurbachan Singh PVSM | 1 August 1978 | 31 December 1979 | 20 Lancers | [13] | |
4 | Suraj Prakash Malhotra PVSM | 1 January 1980 | 30 September 1982 | Brigade of The Guards | [14] | |
5 | Manohar Lal Chibber PVSM, AVSM | 1 October 1982 | 31 August 1985 | 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) | [15][16] | |
6 | A. K. Handoo PVSM | 1 September 1985 | 31 May 1987 | Brigade of Guards | [17] | |
7 | Biddanda Chengappa Nanda PVSM, AVSM | 1 June 1987 | 31 May 1989 | Mahar Regiment | [17] | |
8 | Gurinder Singh PVSM, AVSM | 1 June 1989 | 30 September 1991 | 4th Horse (Hodson's Horse) | [18] | |
9 | D. S. R. Sahni PVSM, SM | 1 October 1991 | 31 August 1993 | Madras Sappers | [19][20] | |
10 | Surrinder Singh PVSM, AVSM | 1 September 1993 | 31 August 1996 | 17th Horse (Poona Horse) | [21][22] | |
11 | Sundararajan Padmanabhan PVSM, AVSM, VSM | 1 September 1996 | 31 December 1998 | Regiment of Artillery | [23] | |
12 | H. M. Khanna SYSM, PVSM, AVSM | 1 January 1998 | 31 January 2001 | Gorkha Rifles | [24] | |
13 | R. K. Nanavatty PVSM, UYSM, AVSM | 1 February 2001 | 31 May 2003 | 8th Gorkha Rifles | [25] | |
14 | Hari Prasad PVSM, AVSM, VSM | 1 June 2003 | 31 July 2005 | Maratha Light Infantry | [26] | |
15 | Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM | 1 September 2005 | 30 December 2006 | Regiment of Artillery | [27][28] | |
16 | Harcharanjit Singh Panag PVSM, AVSM | 1 January 2006 | 29 February 2008 | Sikh Regiment | [29] | |
17 | Prabodh Chandra Bhardwaj PVSM, AVSM, VrC, SC, VSM | 1 March 2008 | 30 September 2009 | Parachute Regiment | [30] | |
18 | B. S. Jaswal PVSM, AVSM*, VSM | 1 October 2009 | 31 December 2010 | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles | [31][32] | |
19 | K. T. Parnaik PVSM, UYSM, YSM | 1 January 2011 | 30 June 2013 | Rajputana Rifles | [33] | |
20 | Sanjiv Chachra PVSM, AVSM, VSM | 1 July 2013 | 31 May 2014 | Rajput Regiment | [34] | |
21 | Deependra Singh Hooda PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM* | 1 June 2014 | 30 November 2016 | 4th Gorkha Rifles | [35] | |
22 | Devraj Anbu PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM | 1 December 2016 | 31 May 2018 | Sikh Light Infantry | [36] | |
23 | Ranbir Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM*, YSM, SM | 1 June 2018 | 31 January 2020 | Dogra Regiment | [37] | |
24 | Yogesh Kumar Joshi PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VrC, SM | 1 February 2020 | 31 January 2022 | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles | [38] | |
25 | Upendra Dwivedi PVSM, AVSM | 1 February 2022 | 18 February 2024 | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles | [39] | |
26 | M. V. Suchindra Kumar PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM*, VSM | 19 February 2024 | Incumbent | Assam Regiment | [40] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Northern Army". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
- ^ "North Western Army". Order of Battle. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
- ^ "British Military History". British Military History. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Major General Cecil Watton Toovey CB, CBE, MC Archived 11 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Northern Command, India". British Military History. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ a b Singh, V.K. (23 March 2005). Leadership in the Indian army: biographies of twelve soldiers (Illustrated ed.). New Delhi: Sage. p. 417. ISBN 978-0-7619-3322-9.
- ^ a b Renaldi and Rikhye 2011, p. 21
- ^ Service, Tribune News. "Focus on China, Army moves key 'strike' elements to eastern Ladakh". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ ConflictX [@ConflictX7] (1 June 2022). "Strike One Corps got re-organised. It saw addition of 6 Mountain Division which came from Central Command. 33 Armored Division which was part of 1 corps is retained by South Western Command. While 23 Division moved to 17 Strike Corps. https://t.co/fPiMUnbb0O" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Page 5852 | Issue 37801, 29 November 1946 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
- ^ "Lt. Gen. Rai Takes Over Northern Command" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 28 July 1974. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "New Appointments in Army" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 19 May 1978. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Lt. Gen. S. P. Malhotra – New GOC-in-C" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 26 December 1979. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Gen. Chhibber New GOC-in-C Northern Command" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 1 October 1982. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 8 February 1986. p. 129.
- ^ a b "Lt. Gen. BC Nanda Appointed GOC-in-C Northern Command" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 20 May 1987. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "Lt. Gen. Gurinder Singh Appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 31 May 1989. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "New Army Commanders Appointed" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 15 June 1991. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ "New Vice-Chief and Army Commanders Appointed" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 23 June 1993. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "Lt. Gen. Surinder Singh Takes Over as Northern Army Commander" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 1 September 1993. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "Army Appointments" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 22 August 1996. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "rediff.com: Lt Gen Sundararajan Padmanabhan to be next army chief". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "The Commanders Who Failed". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Nanavatty takes over as GOCC, northern command". Zee News. 1 February 2001. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Hari Prasad new GoC-in-C, Northern Command". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Kapoor to be new VCOAS; Panag, Jamwal to head N, E Cmds". oneindia.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Main News". www.tribuneindia.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2005. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Senior Appointments : Army". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen PC Bhardwaj, takes over as Vice Army Chief". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Northern Command bid Farewell to Lt Gen BS Jaswal, general officer commanding- in chief – Ground Report". www.groundreport.com. 31 December 2010. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen B S Jaswal takes charge of Northern Command today – Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lieutenant General KT Parnaik,takes over as the GOC-in -C, Northern Command – Ground Report". www.groundreport.com. January 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Chachra takes over as Army's Northern Command chief". The Economic Times. 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Hooda takes over as Northern Command Chief". Firstpost. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Devraj Anbu takes over as chief of Army's Northern command". The Indian Express. 1 December 2016. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "'Face of Indian Army' Lt Gen Ranbir Singh appointed Northern Army Commander". The Week. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ Negi, Manjeet Singh (24 January 2020). "Kargil fame Lt Gen YK Joshi appointed Northern Army Commander". India Today. London. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ "Govt appoints new commanders for Indian Army's Northern, Eastern commands". India Today. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Kumar to head Northern Command, Dwivedi is vice chief". Daily Excelsior. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- Chris KEMPTON, ‘Loyalty and Honour’ – The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947 Part I Divisions; Part II Brigades; Part III (Milton Keynes: Military Press, 2003) [ISBN 0-85420-228-5].
Sources
[edit]- Rinaldi, Richard; Rikhye, Ravi (2011). Indian Army Order of Battle. General Data. ISBN 978-0982054178.
- http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/where-did-brigades-go-vanished-why-and-who-disbanded.70950/ - list of brigades on the frontier in 1939