New Delhi: The suspense over the next Army Chief came to an end with the Government announcing Lieutenant General Bikram Singh as the successor to General VK Singh, who recently lost his battle over the age issue.
59-year-old Lieutenant General Singh, the Eastern Army Commander, will head the 13-lakh strong force and have a tenure of just over two years till August 2014 from May 31.
Bikram Singh, the second Sikh to lead the Indian Army after General JJ Singh, has served in various key positions including as the Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps during the height of militancy in the valley.
"Lieutenant General Singh has been designated as the next Chief of Army Staff, in the rank of General, with effect from the afternoon of 31 May 2012," Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said in New Delhi.
"He will succeed the present COAS General VK Singh, who retires from the service on May 31," he added.
As per the normal practice, the appointment of Chiefs of Defence Services is announced 60 days in advance but in this case, the government made the announcement 90 days in advance.
Bikram Singh was the senior most among the present Army Commanders but his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff had got caught in a suspense as General VK Singh was fighting out his date of birth battle with government that would have given him tenure till April next year.
Had VK Singh's contention that he was born on May 10, 1951 and not a year earlier been accepted, Lieutenant General Bikram Singh's chance to head the Army would have been scuttled. In that situation, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General KT Parnaik would have become the Chief.
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