Major General Harkirat Singh officially assumed command of the Command Hospital (Western Command) on May 17, 2025, taking over the reins of one of the Indian Armed Forces’ most prestigious tertiary care medical institutions. The ceremonial handing-over marks a pivotal leadership transition in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), reinforcing the military’s commitment to delivering world-class medical care, research, and training across operational regions.
Major General Harkirat Singh is a highly accomplished officer of the Armed Forces Medical Services and a distinguished alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. He is a leading specialist in Nuclear Medicine and brings to the post an extensive background of clinical excellence and administrative proficiency, having served in a wide array of appointments at premier AFMS establishments and key formation headquarters across the country. His deep understanding of medical science, combined with strategic experience in healthcare delivery within military structures, positions him uniquely to enhance the standards and capabilities of Command Hospital (Western Command).
The appointment was warmly acknowledged and lauded by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin is the highest-ranking woman officer in the Indian Armed Forces and has been at the forefront of military healthcare transformation. Her leadership has been instrumental in modernizing tri-service medical coordination and strengthening field-based medical capabilities. In April 2025, she visited and praised the operations of a high-altitude field hospital in the Lipa Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring her proactive approach to frontline military medical care.
Command Hospital (Western Command), located at Chandimandir, holds a central place in the Indian military’s healthcare ecosystem. It caters to the specialized medical needs of serving personnel, their dependents, and ex-servicemen from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. The hospital is also a center for postgraduate medical education and research, functioning in close academic affiliation with the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. Its strategic location and advanced facilities make it a vital component of the medical readiness and resilience of India’s Western Command.
Under the leadership of Major General Harkirat Singh, the hospital is expected to see further enhancement in clinical excellence, academic training, and integration of advanced medical technologies. His assumption of command comes at a time when the Armed Forces Medical Services are expanding their role in both peacetime and operational scenarios, ensuring comprehensive healthcare coverage across India’s vast military landscape.
This leadership transition reflects the AFMS’s enduring commitment to integrating domain-specific expertise, promoting medical innovation, and maintaining robust and responsive healthcare delivery systems in support of India’s armed forces. The appointment of Major General Singh reaffirms the organization’s focus on professional excellence and strategic preparedness in all areas of military medicine.
