Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana Takes Command of Strategic Andaman & Nicobar Command.
Port Blair:
Lieutenant General Dinesh Singh Rana on Sunday assumed charge as the 18th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), India’s only tri-service operational command that plays a pivotal role in safeguarding national interests in the strategically vital Indian Ocean Region.
Located at Sri Vijaya Puram, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) integrates the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard — a unique example of jointmanship in the Indian armed forces.
Lt Gen Rana, a distinguished officer commissioned into the 10th Battalion of The Garhwal Rifles on December 19, 1987, brings with him over 37 years of varied operational, instructional, and strategic leadership experience. He has previously commanded the same battalion he was commissioned into and led an Infantry Brigade and Division in the Eastern Sector, as well as the Gajraj Corps along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Defence Services Staff College, Lt Gen Rana also holds academic credentials from the National Defence College (New Delhi), Centre for National Defence Studies (Spain), and the National Defense University (USA). He has topped numerous professional military courses and holds a Ph.D. in China’s defence modernisation.
His international exposure includes serving with the Indian Military Training Team and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. He has also held key staff and instructional appointments, including as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun; College of Defence Management, Secunderabad; and Army War College, Mhow.
Notably, Lt Gen Rana served as the Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency before his current appointment, becoming the first Chief of Defence Intelligence to be elevated to the rank of Commander-in-Chief — a testament to the rising significance of integrated defence intelligence in India’s security framework.
For his exceptional service, Lt Gen Rana has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Yudh Seva Medal (YSM), Sena Medal (SM), and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.
His appointment is expected to further strengthen India’s maritime and strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific region.
