Lt Gen RC Tiwari takes over Eastern Command amid Corps Commanders reshuffle for Strategic adaptation

New Delhi: Lieutenant General RC Tiwari officially took charge of the Eastern Army Command on January 1, succeeding Lieutenant General RP Kalita, whose term concluded on December 31, 2023. The change in command was marked by a solemn ceremony where General Tiwari paid tribute to fallen soldiers and reviewed an impressive Guard of Honour.

Lieutenant General RC Tiwari, an Infantry Officer commissioned in the Kumaon Regiment in 1987, has an illustrious career. Prior to leading the Eastern Command, he commanded the Uttar Bharat Area and the 3 Corps. The Eastern Command, one of the six operational commands of the Indian Army, operates under a three-star rank officer titled General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C). 

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management, and the National Defence College, Lt Gen RC Tiwari has held prestigious command and staff assignments. His experience includes both conventional and counter-insurgency operations in India and abroad. Before assuming the Eastern Army Command, he served as the Chief of Staff in Headquarters Southwestern Command, Jaipur. 

Corps Commanders reshuffling in the Indian Army 

The Eastern Command's Area of Responsibility (AOR) covers states such as West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Jharkhand. It comprises operational units under III Corps, IV Corps, XVII Corps, XXXIII Corps, and the 23rd Infantry Division.

Lt Gen Prit Pal Singh took over the command of Sudarshan Chakra Corps from Lt Gen Vipul Shinghal. Sudarshan Chakra Corps (XXI Corps) is a significant strike corps headquartered in Bhopal, forming a crucial part of the Indian Army's Southern Command. It serves as both a strike corps and would be instrumental in large-scale interventions overseas.

Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva assumed command of White Knight Corps from Lt Gen Sandeep Jain. XVI Corps, also known as White Knight Corps, has its headquarters at Nagrota Cantonment in Jammu and Kashmir. The corps includes divisions like 10th Infantry Division (RAPID), 25 Infantry Division (Ace of Spades Division), and 39 Infantry Division (Dah Division), making it the largest wheeled formation globally.

Lt Gen Nagendra Singh took command of Chetak Corps from Lt Gen Sanjiv Rai. X Corps, known as Chetak Corps, is based in Bathinda and is part of the Southwestern Command. It was raised on July 1, 1979, to reduce the load of XI Corps, taking over south Punjab and north Rajasthan.

The emblem of Chetak Corps, designed by its first General Officer Commanding (GOC) Lt Gen ML Tuli, symbolizes mobility, manoeuvre, and alertness for aggressive action. It depicts a horse with the torso of a man, representing Rajput chivalry and readiness to face challenges. As these commanders take charge, the Indian Army underscores its commitment to efficient leadership, strategic readiness, and adaptability to evolving geopolitical scenarios.