NEW DELHI: In a significant development, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, who had announced the September 2016 surgical strikes along the LoC, assumed the charge of the new chief of Indian Army's Northern Command on Friday.

Singh replaces Lt. Gen Devraj Anbu who took over as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff.

Singh, 58, will be the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, which has is headquartered at Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.

Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, AVSM**, YSM, SM has taken over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief #NorthernCommand. Earlier, the General officer was DCOAS (IS&T).He has a vast Command, Staff & Instructional experience and has served in all types of operational environment. pic.twitter.com/ArGAfEtdNl — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) June 1, 2018

He was the Director General Military Operations (DGMO) when the Army commandos carried out the surgical strikes against insurgent camps in Myanmar in June 2015 and terror launch pads along the Line of Control (LoC) on September 29, 2016.

He was the one who later briefed the media about the operations.

Having served as a Colonel and Brigadier in the military operations directorate that oversees and coordinates all operations and troop movements, Lt Gen Singh is likely to be one of the front-runners for the Army chief's post when General Bipin Rawat ends his tenure in December 2019.

Lt. Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane, who now heads the Army Training Command at Shimla and is senior to Lt Gen Singh, will be another front-runner for the post to lead the second largest army in the world after China and the US.

Lt. Gen. Singh was commissioned into the 9th Battalion of the Dogra Regiment in 1980 and has had varied staff and command exposures. He has commanded a Mountain Brigade, an Armoured Division and a Strike Corps.

His tenures also include United Nations Peacekeeping assignment at Rwanda and Chief Operations Officer at Sudan.

Lt. Gen. Devraj Anbu, one of the highly decorated officers, also assumed the charge of Vice Chief of the Army Staff on Friday, succeeding Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand.

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu #VCOAS paid homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti and reviewed the Guard Of Honour at the South Block Lawns today. #IndianArmy @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/SmDqMyL3t6 — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) June 1, 2018

Lt.Gen. Chand handed over the baton to Lt. Gen. Anbu in a ceremony at South Block in Delhi.

Anbu is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy Khadakvasla. He was commissioned into the 14 Sikh Light Infantry on June 7, 1980 and has rich operational experience with the distinction of serving in all types of operational environment to include Siachen Glacier, counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast as well as in 'OP PAWAN' in Sri Lanka.

During his 37-year-long military career, the General Officer commanded his unit during 'OP PARAKRAM', an Infantry Brigade on the Line of Control in the Kashmir Valley, a Mountain Division in Sikkim, the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan and Gajraj Corps in the Eastern Theatre.

The General is highly decorated and has been awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for operations in 'OP Meghdoot', Yudh Seva Medal during the command of the Brigade, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal during the command of the Division and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal during the command of an elite operational Corps.

He had three important staff tenures at the Army Headquarters beside holding General Staff operation appointment at the Division and Corps HQ in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir respectively.

He was the Instructor at the National Defence Academy and an International Military Observer with UN Peacekeeping Mission, UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group) at Namibia.

(With IANS inputs)