New Delhi, June 26, 2026: Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar, AVSM, VSM, has been appointed the next General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Southern Command. He will assume charge of the strategically important command headquartered in Pune with effect from July 1, 2026.
Lt Gen Pushkar is currently serving as the General Officer Commanding of the Ambala-based Kharga Corps, also known as II Corps. One of the Indian Army’s premier strike formations, the corps forms a crucial component of the country’s offensive capability along the western front.
His elevation from commanding a strike corps to heading an Army command represents a major responsibility in his distinguished military career. As the Southern Army Commander, he will oversee formations and establishments spread across a vast and strategically diverse area of responsibility.
The Southern Command is one of the oldest and geographically most extensive commands of the Indian Army. Headquartered in Pune, it is responsible for military preparedness across large parts of western, central and southern India, including the country’s peninsular and coastal regions.
The command includes the Jodhpur-based Konark Corps and the Bhopal-based Sudarshan Chakra Corps, besides several area headquarters, training establishments, logistics formations and administrative institutions. Its responsibilities range from conventional deterrence and coastal security to humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and coordination with civil authorities.
Lt Gen Pushkar is a senior officer of the Indian Army’s Armoured Corps and has served for more than 35 years in a wide range of operational, command, instructional and staff appointments. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and has completed higher military education at the College of Defence Management in Secunderabad and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
During his career, he has commanded an armoured regiment in an operational area, a strategically important independent armoured brigade and an infantry division in the western sector. These appointments have provided him with extensive experience in mechanised warfare, formation-level operations and the management of large bodies of troops.
Before assuming command of the Kharga Corps on July 1, 2024, Lt Gen Pushkar served as the Director General of the Territorial Army at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army). In that position, he was involved in overseeing an important component of the Army that supplements the regular force during operational and national emergencies.
His international assignments include service with the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan. He also served as the Defence and Military Attaché at the Embassy of India in Moscow, with concurrent accreditation to Armenia and Belarus, giving him significant exposure to military diplomacy and international defence cooperation.
Lt Gen Pushkar is associated with the 74 Armoured Regiment and serves as its Colonel of the Regiment. He has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal in recognition of his distinguished service and contribution to the Indian Army.
As commander of the Kharga Corps, Lt Gen Pushkar has maintained a strong focus on combat readiness, technological absorption and realistic battlefield training. Under his leadership, formations of the corps have worked towards integrating drones, counter-drone capabilities, precision systems, surveillance platforms and secure communication networks into operational planning.
He has repeatedly emphasised that future military leaders must understand the changing character of warfare and remain prepared to operate in a technology-intensive, multi-domain environment. His interactions with troops and young military leaders have focused on adaptability, professional excellence, rapid decision-making and the effective employment of emerging technologies.
Following Operation Sindoor, Lt Gen Pushkar praised the professionalism, operational agility and preparedness displayed by formations under his command. His tenure at Kharga Corps has been marked by intensive exercises, operational reviews and efforts to strengthen coordination between traditional combat arms and new-generation technological capabilities.
His appointment to Southern Command comes as the Indian Army continues its transformation towards greater jointness, theatre-level integration and technology-enabled operations. The command’s proximity to important naval and air bases, industrial centres, ports and coastal regions makes coordination with the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and civilian agencies an important part of its mandate.
Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, who is Lt Gen Pushkar’s brother-in-law, publicly expressed pride over the appointment. He praised the senior officer’s military brilliance, professional record and dedication to the uniform while congratulating him on being selected for the prestigious responsibility.
Lt Gen Pushkar will succeed Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, AVSM, SM, who assumed command of the Southern Command on April 1, 2026. The formal transition is scheduled to take place on July 1 at the command headquarters in Pune.
With his extensive experience in strike operations, mechanised warfare, military diplomacy, staff planning and formation command, Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar is expected to guide Southern Command’s operational preparedness, modernisation and joint-service initiatives during a period of rapid transformation in the Indian Armed Forces.
