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| Manoj Mukund Naravane | |
|---|---|
| Name | Manoj Mukund Naravane |
| Birth date | 1960-09-24 |
| Birth place | Bombay, Maharashtra |
| Service years | 1980–2020 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | 4th Battalion, Bihar Regiment / Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) |
| Awards | Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal |
Manoj Mukund Naravane is a retired Indian Army four-star officer who served as the 28th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 2019 to 2021. A product of National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy, he commanded formations ranging from battalion to Army Command and served in operational theatres including Siachen, Kargil, North-East and on the Line of Control. Known for strategic writings and doctrinal inputs, he engaged with institutions such as the United Service Institution, National Defence College and international partners including the United States Army, People's Liberation Army, British Army and French Army.
Born in Bombay in 1960, he attended St. Edward's School, Shimla and completed pre-commission training at the National Defence Academy before graduating from the Indian Military Academy in 1980. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and completed studies alongside officers from the Royal Military College of Canada, the Australian Defence College and the United States Army War College.
Commissioned into the Bihar Regiment in 1980, he served in airborne and special forces formations including the Parachute Regiment and commanded the 4th Battalion during counter-insurgency operations in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Sikkim. His staff appointments included Brigade Major of an Indian Army formation, instructor at the Infantry School, and Director in the Military Operations Directorate at Integrated Headquarters. He commanded a Rashtriya Rifles sector in the Kashmir Valley and the 17 Mountain Division in Northern Arunachal Pradesh, before taking command of the IV Corps (Sudarshan Chakra Corps) in the Eastern Theatre and serving as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command. His tenure included engagements with the Indo–China border standoffs, crisis management during incidents near the Doklam and operational coordination with the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and paramilitary forces such as the Border Security Force.
Appointed the 28th Chief of Army Staff in December 2019, he succeeded Bipin Rawat and oversaw the Indian Army during heightened tensions following the 2020–2021 standoffs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), collaborating with the Ministry of Defence, the Government of India, and coordinating with foreign counterparts including the United States Department of Defense, UK Ministry of Defence and the French Ministry of Defence on defence diplomacy. His priorities emphasized force modernization with acquisitions such as the Arjun upgrades, Pinaka enhancements, induction efforts for the BrahMos system, and reforms tied to the Make in India initiative and the DRDO. He engaged with think tanks including the Observer Research Foundation, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, and the National Security Council Secretariat on doctrines addressing grey-zone warfare and counter-insurgency strategies.
Throughout his career he received numerous honours including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Yudh Seva Medal (YSM), as well as service medals issued by the Government of India. He was recognized by institutions such as the United Service Institution of India and received invitations to lecture at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and the Royal United Services Institute.
He is married to Kusum Naravane; the couple has two daughters. A native of Maharashtra, he maintains links with educational institutions including the National Defence Academy, the Indian Military Academy and veterans' organisations such as the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association and the Armed Forces Veterans Welfare Association.
After retiring in December 2021, he participated in strategic dialogues hosted by the Observer Research Foundation, the RUSI India, the IDSA and the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), and provided expertise to commissions and advisory boards associated with the Ministry of Defence (India), the National Security Council Secretariat and multilateral forums including the BRICS defence dialogues and Quad-related track two engagements. He has been a speaker at events organised by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, the SIPRI and the Asia Society, and contributes analyses to publications including the Economic Times, The Hindu, The Indian Express and journals of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
Category:Indian Army generals Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal Category:Chiefs of Army Staff (India)