Northern Command (India)
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Short description The Northern Command is a Command of the Indian Army. It was originally formed as the Northern Army of the British Indian Army in 1908. It was scrapped upon India's independence in 1947 and later re-raised in 1972. Currently, the XIV Corps (Leh), XV Corps (Srinagar), I Corps (Mathura) and XVI Corps (Nagrota) are under its control. Its present commander is Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma.
History
The Presidency armies were abolished with effect from 1 April 1895 when the three Presidency armies became the Indian Army.[1] The Indian Army was divided into four Commands: Bengal Command, Bombay Command, Madras Command and Punjab Command, each under a lieutenant general.[1]
In 1908, the four commands were merged into two Armies: Northern Army and Southern Army. This system persisted until 1920 when the arrangement reverted to four commands again :- Eastern Command, Northern Command, Southern Command and Western Command.[1]
In 1937, Western Command was downgraded to become the Western Independent District. In April 1942, the Western Independent District was absorbed into the Northern Command which itself was re-designated as North Western Army to guard the borders at North West Frontier during World War II. It controlled the Kohat, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Baluchistan and Waziristan Districts.[2][3]
The formation reverted to the title Northern Command in November 1945.[4] In 1947, India moved towards partition, with Northern Command HQ at Rawalpindi becoming the Army HQ of the newly formed Pakistan Army (as GHQ Pakistan), with the rest of commands passing to the Indian Army.[5]
In 1972, the Government of India decided to raise a separate command to oversee operations in the northern borders with Pakistan and China. Lt. Gen. P. S. Bhagat was appointed as its GOC-in-C in June 1972. Bhagat's main activities as Army Commander were the improvement of defence and the living and working condition of his troops.[6] Headquarters for the command was established at Udhampur, J&K.[7]
The XIV Corps (Leh), XV Corps (Srinagar) and XVI Corps (Nagrota) control the operational units in Northern Command. 71 Independent Sub Area is part of the Command. In 2001–02, during Operation Parakram the III Corps and its 57th Mountain Division were temporarily shifted into the command as a reserve.[7]
On 1 June 2025, the Northern Command became the first Command of the Indian Army to establish the position of Command Subedar Major by appointing Subedar Major Ojit Singh from 3 Assam Regiment in-charge of the office. The appointee is meant for an advisory role and as a communication channel between the Army's senior leadership and the junior commissioned officers and other ranks. The position, equivalent to Senior Sergeant Major in Western armies and Master Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force, will be established at all commands as well as at the COAS-level. The tenure is set for two years and extendable to three years.[8]
Structure
Currently, the Northern Commands has been assigned operational units under four corps: XIV Corps, I Corps, XV Corps and XVI Corps.
In 2021, the Strike One Corps was re-organised to join the Northern Command to assist at the Ladakh border with China.[9][10]
| Structure of Northern Command | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corps | Corps HQ | GOC of Corps
(Corps Commander) |
Assigned Units | Unit HQ | |
| XIV Corps
(Fire and Fury Corps) |
Leh, Ladakh | Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla | 3 Infantry Division | Karu, Ladakh | |
| 8 Mountain Division | Dras, Ladakh | ||||
| 72 Infantry Division | Pathankot, Punjab | ||||
| 254 (Independent) Armoured Brigade | Leh, Ladakh | ||||
| 102 (Independent) Infantry Brigade | Partapur, Ladakh | ||||
| 118 (Independent) Infantry Brigade | Nyoma, Ladakh | ||||
| XV Corps
(Chinar Corps) |
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir | Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava | 19 Mountain Division | Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir | |
| 28 Infantry Division | Gurez, Jammu & Kashmir | ||||
| Rashtriya Rifles "Kilo Force" | N/A | ||||
| Rashtriya Rifles "Victor Force" | N/A | ||||
| File:XVI Corps.png | XVI Corps
(White Knight Corps) |
Nagarota, Jammu & Kashmir | Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva | 10 RAPID Division | Akhnoor, Jammu & Kashmir |
| 25 Infantry Division | Rajauri, Jammu & Kashmir | ||||
| 39 Mountain Division | Yol, Himachal Pradesh | ||||
| Rashtriya Rifles "Delta Force" | N/A | ||||
| Rashtriya Rifles "Romeo Force" | N/A | ||||
| Rashtriya Rifles "Uniform Force" | N/A | ||||
| 10 Artillery Brigade | N/A | ||||
| File:I Corps India.png | I Corps
(Strike One Corps) |
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh | Lt Gen V Hariharan | 4 RAPID Division | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh |
| 6 Mountain Division | Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh | ||||
| 42 Artillery Division | Bassi, Rajasthan | ||||
| 14 (Independent) Armoured Brigade | Bhatinda, Punjab | ||||
Precursors (1895–1947)
Following is the List of precursors to the Northern Command and their commanders:[11]
Punjab Command (1895–1907)
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Punjab Command | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
| 1 | General
Sir William S. A. Lockhart Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
April 1895 | Nov 1898 | 44th Bengal Native Infantry |
| 2 | General
Sir Arthur Power Palmer Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Nov 1898 | March 1900 | 5th Bengal Light Infantry |
| Acting | Lieutenant General
Charles C. Egerton Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
March 1899 | Oct 1901 | 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot |
| 3 | General
Sir Bindon Blood Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Oct 1901 | Oct 1904 | Royal Engineers |
Northern Command (1904–1908)
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
| 1 | General
Sir Bindon Blood Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Oct 1904 | June 1907 | Royal Engineers |
Northern Army (1908–1920)
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Army | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
| 1 | General
Sir Alfred Gaselee Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
June 1907 | Nov 1908 | Sutherland Highlanders |
| 2 | Lieutenant General
Sir Josceline H. Wodehouse Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Nov 1908 | Oct 1910 | Royal Artillery |
| 3 | Lieutenant General
Sir James Willcocks Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Oct 1910 | Aug 1914 | 100th Regiment of Foot |
| 4 | Lieutenant General
Sir Robert I. Scallon Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Aug 1914 | Feb 1915 | 72nd Highlanders |
| 5 | General
Sir John E. Nixon Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Feb 1915 | Apr 1915 | 75th Regiment of Foot |
| Vacant | Apr 1915 | May 1916 | - | |
| 6 | General
Sir Arthur A. Barrett Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1916 | May 1920 | 44th Regiment of Foot |
Northern Command (1920–1942)
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
| 1 | General
Sir William R. Birdwood, Bt Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Nov 1920 | Nov 1924 | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
| 2 | General
Sir Claud W. Jacob Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Nov 1924 | May 1926 | Worcestershire Regiment |
| 3 | General
Sir Alexander S. Cobbe Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1926 | May 1930 | Indian Staff Corps |
| 4 | General
Sir Robert A. Cassels Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1930 | May 1934 | Indian Staff Corps |
| 5 | General
Sir Kenneth Wigram Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1934 | May 1936 | 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles |
| 6 | General
Sir John F. S. D. Coleridge Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1936 | Jun 1940 | Indian Staff Corps |
| 7 | General
Sir Alan F. Hartley Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Jun 1940 | Jan 1942 | Durham Light Infantry |
| 8 | General
Sir Cyril D. Noyes Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Jan 1942 | Apr 1942 | 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry |
North-Western Army (1942–1945)
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief North-Western Army | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission |
| 1 | General
Sir Cyril D. Noyes Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Apr 1942 | May 1943 | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
| 2 | General
Sir Edward P. Quinan Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1943 | Aug 1943 | Worcestershire Regiment |
| 3 | General
Sir Henry Finnis Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Aug 1943 | May 1945 | Indian Staff Corps |
| Acting | Major-general
Cecil Toovey Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Jun 1945 | Oct 1945 | Indian Staff Corps |
| 4 | General
Sir Richard N. O'Connor Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Oct 1945 | Nov 1945 | Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) |
Northern Command (1945–1947)
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission | Ref |
| 1 | General
Sir Richard N. O'Connor Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Nov 1945 | May 1946 | Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) | |
| Acting | Lieutenant General
Douglas D. Gracey Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1946 | Oct 1946 | Royal Munster Fusiliers | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General
Frank W. Messervy Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Oct 1946 | Aug 1947 | 9th Hodson's Horse | [12] |
List of GOC-in-C of Northern Command (1972–present)
Following is the list of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command after its re-raising in 1972:
| General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Rank | Name | Assumed office | Left office | Unit of Commission | Ref |
| 1 | Lieutenant General | Premindra Singh Bhagat Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | June 1972 | 28 July 1974 | Bombay Sappers | [6] |
| 2 | H. C. Rai Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 28 July 1974 | 31 July 1978 | Rajputana Rifles | [13] | |
| 3 | Gurbachan Singh Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 August 1978 | 31 December 1979 | 20 Lancers | [14] | |
| 4 | Suraj Prakash Malhotra Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 January 1980 | 30 September 1982 | Brigade of The Guards | [15] | |
| 5 | Manohar Lal Chibber Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 October 1982 | 31 August 1985 | 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) | [16][17] | |
| 6 | A. K. Handoo Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 September 1985 | 31 May 1987 | Brigade of Guards | [18] | |
| 7 | Biddanda Chengappa Nanda Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 June 1987 | 31 May 1989 | Mahar Regiment | [18] | |
| 8 | Gurinder Singh Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 June 1989 | 30 September 1991 | 4th Horse (Hodson's Horse) | [19] | |
| 9 | D. S. R. Sahni Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 October 1991 | 31 August 1993 | Madras Sappers | [20][21] | |
| 10 | Surrinder Singh Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 September 1993 | 31 August 1996 | 17th Horse (Poona Horse) | [22][23] | |
| 11 | Sundararajan Padmanabhan Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 September 1996 | 31 December 1998 | Regiment of Artillery | [24] | |
| 12 | H. M. Khanna Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 January 1998 | 31 January 2001 | Gorkha Rifles | [25] | |
| 13 | R. K. Nanavatty Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 February 2001 | 31 May 2003 | 8th Gorkha Rifles | [26] | |
| 14 | Hari Prasad Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 June 2003 | 31 July 2005 | Maratha Light Infantry | [27] | |
| 15 | Deepak Kapoor Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 September 2005 | 30 December 2006 | Regiment of Artillery | [28][29] | |
| 16 | Harcharanjit Singh Panag Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 January 2006 | 29 February 2008 | Sikh Regiment | [30] | |
| 17 | Prabodh Chandra Bhardwaj Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 March 2008 | 30 September 2009 | Parachute Regiment | [31] | |
| 18 | B. S. Jaswal PVSM, AVSM*, VSMScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 October 2009 | 31 December 2010 | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles | [32][33] | |
| 19 | K. T. Parnaik Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 January 2011 | 30 June 2013 | Rajputana Rifles | [34] | |
| 20 | Sanjiv Chachra Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 July 2013 | 31 May 2014 | Rajput Regiment | [35] | |
| 21 | Deependra Singh Hooda PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM*Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 June 2014 | 30 November 2016 | 4th Gorkha Rifles | [36] | |
| 22 | Devraj Anbu Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 December 2016 | 31 May 2018 | Sikh Light Infantry | [37] | |
| 23 | Ranbir Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM*, YSM, SMScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 June 2018 | 31 January 2020 | Dogra Regiment | [38] | |
| 24 | Yogesh Kumar Joshi Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 February 2020 | 31 January 2022 | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles | [39] | |
| 25 | Upendra Dwivedi Script error: No such module "If empty".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 February 2022 | 18 February 2024 | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles | [40] | |
| 26 | M. V. Suchindra Kumar PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM*, VSMScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 19 February 2024 | 30 April 2025 | Assam Regiment | [41] | |
| 27 | Pratik Sharma PVSM, AVSM, SMScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 May 2025 | Incumbent | Madras Regiment | [42] | |
References
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- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Major General Cecil Watton Toovey CB, CBE, MC Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Renaldi and Rikhye 2011, p. 21
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Template:Cite tweet
- ↑ Army Commands Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- Chris KEMPTON, ‘Loyalty and Honour’ – The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947 Part I Divisions; Part II Brigades; Part III (Milton Keynes: Military Press, 2003) [ISBN 0-85420-228-5].
Sources
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/where-did-brigades-go-vanished-why-and-who-disbanded.70950/ - list of brigades on the frontier in 1939
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