Pushpendra Pal Singh (general)

• IX Corps
• 4 Para SF

Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh AVSM SM **
48th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
Incumbent
Assumed office 01 August 2025
Battles/wars	Operation Pawan Operation Meghdoot Operation Rakhskak Operation Orchid
Service number	IC-47139H [2]
Awards	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Bar to Sena Medal

Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh, AVSM, SM** is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. He currently serves as the 48th Vice Chief of the Army Staff. ^[3] He previously served as the Director General of Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement, ^[4] prior to that he was General Officer Commanding IX Corps. ^[5] He earlier served as the Chief of Staff, Central Command.

Early life and education

The general officer is an alumnus of La’ Martiniere College, Lucknow and Lucknow University. ^[6] He then attended the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He has 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 the Punjab University. ^[3]

Military career

The general officer was commissioned into the 4th battalion of the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) on 19 December 1987 from the Indian Military Academy. ^[7] 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. ^[8] 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 along. Later served as MG GS at headquarters Central Command. He has also served at the Infantry School, situated at Mhow and the Strategic Forces Command. ^[9]

After elevation to the rank of Lieutenant general, he assumed the office of Chief of Staff, Central Command. Later on, 14 April 2022, he took over as the General Officer Commanding IX Corps. ^[9] A year later in June 2023, he was appointed as the Director General Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement. ^[4]

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, who superannuated on 31 July 2025. ^[10]

Awards and decorations

The general officer has been awarded with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025 ^[11] and Bar to Sena Medal. ^[a] He has also been awarded with COAS Commendation card twice and Army Commander's commendation.

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Bar to Sena Medal	Wound Medal	Samanya Seva Medal
Special Service Medal	Siachen Glacier Medal	Operation Parakram Medal	Sainya Seva Medal
High Altitude Medal	Videsh Seva Medal	75th Independence Anniversary Medal	50th Independence Anniversary Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal	UNIFIL

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	Indian Army	19 December 1987 [7]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	19 December 1989 [12]
	Captain	Indian Army	19 December 1992 [13]
	Major	Indian Army	19 December 1998
	Lieutenant Colonel	Indian Army	16 December 2004 [14]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1 January 2008 [15]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	14 February 2014 (acting) 5 December 2014 (seniority from 2 February 2012) [16]
	Major General	Indian Army	1 October 2019 (seniority from 1 January 2018) [17]
	Lieutenant General	Indian Army	2021

Notes

1. Bar refers to same medal being awarded twice

References

1. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 January 1989. p. 114.
2. "President approves Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces personnel, including 11 posthumous & 305 defence decorations on the eve of Republic Day 2025". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
3. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL PUSHPENDRA SINGH TAKES OVER AS VICE CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF". PIB. 1 August 2025.
4. Singh, Mayank (10 June 2023). "Indian Army gets new DGs of Intelligence, Information Warfare and Strategic Planning". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
5. "Lt General Pushpendra Singh takes over command of Rising Star Corps". The Tribune. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
6. "Lucknow boy Lt Gen Pushpendra new vice-chief of Army staff". The Times of India. 2 August 2025. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2 August 2025.
7. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 January 1989. p. 114.
8. Negi, Manjeet (31 July 2025). "Para regiment's Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh to take over as Army vice chief". India Today. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
9. "Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh takes over as Rising Star Corps commander". Hindustan Times. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
10. "Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh takes charge as new Vice Chief of Army Staff". www.ptinews.com. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
11. "Defence Investiture Ceremony 2025 (Phase-II) - President confers 30 PVSMs, 5 UYSMs & 57 AVSMs to Armed Forces, Indian Coast Guard & Border Roads Organisation personnel". pib.gov.in.
12. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 22 February 1992. p. 342.
13. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 10 July 1993. p. 1326.
14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 3 December 2005. p. 2432.
15. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 20 February 2010. p. 267.
16. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 23 July 2016. p. 1672.
17. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 December 2021. p. 2964.