Changes in key posts in armed forces

As many as nine top officers from the three services including Air Marshal Arup Raha, the new vice-chief of the Air Force, have taken over their new positions on Monday.

Raha, an experienced combat pilot and a qualified flying instructor, will be one of the key contenders to become the next IAF chief once the incumbent N A K Browne retires in December. Before assuming charge, Raha was heading the IAF sword arm, Western Air Command (WAC), Delhi.

While Air Marshal S S Soman replaces Raha in the WAC, Soman will have Air Marshal B S Dhanoa as the new Senior Air Staff Officer in the WAC.

Air Marshal P S Gill is the new chief of the IAF training command in Bangalore, an IAF spokesperson said.

Three Lt Gen rank officers – Philip Campose, Sanjiv Chachra and Rajan Bakshi – have taken over as the new commander-in-chiefs of the western command, northern command and central command respectively.

A fourth three-star officer, Lieutenant General Anil Chait, has taken over as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff on Monday.