Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, AVSM, SM, has assumed the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) with effect from 1 July 2026, following his tenure as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Southern Command.
An officer of the 13 Mahar Regiment, Lt Gen Jain took over as the GOC-in-C, Southern Command on 1 April 2026, succeeding General Dhiraj Seth after the latter’s elevation as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Commissioned into the Indian Army on 11 June 1988 from the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Lt Gen Jain is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, and the National Defence College, Kenya.
Over a distinguished military career spanning more than 38 years, he has held several key command and staff appointments. His command assignments include the XVI Corps (White Knight Corps) in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Military Academy, and the Southern Command. Prior to becoming Army Commander, he served as the Chief of Staff, Southern Command.
His operational experience includes serving as a Sector Commander with the United Nations Mission in Sudan, commanding an infantry brigade in a Strike Corps, leading a Counter Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir, and holding important appointments in the Military Operations Directorate, Military Secretary’s Branch, and as Director General (Capability Development) at Army Headquarters. He also served as a Military Observer in Ethiopia.
Lt Gen Jain has served as the Colonel of the Mahar Regiment since 1 August 2024, continuing his close association with one of the Indian Army’s most decorated infantry regiments.
For his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and the Sena Medal (SM), along with several operational, service and long-service decorations.
As the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain brings extensive operational, instructional and strategic leadership experience to one of the Indian Army’s highest appointments, reinforcing the force’s focus on operational excellence, capability development and future readiness.
