India appoints new army, air force, intelligence chiefs

The Indian government has appointed new heads of its army and air force among a series of senior military and intelligence appointments, officials said, two weeks before its two most senior defence force chiefs are due to retire.

Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat was named as the new chief of the army to succeed General Dalbir Singh Suhaag.

Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, a fighter pilot, was chosen as the new chief of India's air force to replace Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha. The appointments were announced on Twitter by a defence ministry spokesman late on Saturday.

READ MORE: Pakistan gets new army chief

Questions over appointment

The appointment of Rawat, a counterinsurgency specialist, raised eyebrows among opposition parties because he was given the job ahead of two more senior candidates.

[twitter]

Next Army Chief Bipin Rawat and the controversy over his appointment: 10 points https://t.co/jZaX47WTDQ pic.twitter.com/ndA6zNqPrK

— NDTV (@ndtv) December 18, 2016

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"Why has seniority not been respected in appointment of Army Chief," Manish Tewari, a former government minister and leader of the opposition Congress party, said on Twitter.

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Why has Seniority not been respected in Aptt.of Army Chief?Why have Lt Gen PRAVIN Bakshi & Lt Gen Mohamed Ali Hariz been superseded Mr PM?

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) December 17, 2016

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The appointment was also questioned by Communist Party of India leader D Raja, but a spokesman for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it was not a matter for political debate.

"The government appoints people to the office based on what it considers to be the most appropriate choice," BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao said.

Indian media reported that it was the first time since 1983 that the most senior candidate had not been chosen to replace an outgoing army chief.

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Why Lt Gen Bipin Rawat was chosen as India's new Army chief over his seniors https://t.co/0mMUv8qDHx pic.twitter.com/QnbtVZzIw4

— Times of India (@timesofindia) December 18, 2016

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Rawat also has experience working along the Line of Control, the de facto border between areas controlled by India and Pakistan in the disputed Kashmir region.

2 key spy agencies get new chief

The Indian government also announced senior appointments to its two main intelligence agencies.

Anil Kumar Dhasmana (L), a 1981-batch IPS officer, will head the R&AW. Rajiv Jain (R), a 1980-batch Jharkhand cadre IPS officer, is the new IB chief. Photo Credit: Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy/ Hindustan Times

Rajiv Jain was named as the new chief of the domestic Intelligence Bureau and Anil Dhasmana as the head of India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Both will serve for the next two years.