Director General of Military Operations (India)
PostDirector General
BodyMilitary Operations
IncumbentLieutenant General Manish Luthra
IncumbentsinceOctober 2025
Reports toDeputy Chief of the Army Staff (Strategy)
SeatArmy Headquarters, New Delhi
TermlengthNo fixed term
PrecursorDirector of Military Operations (DMO)
Formation1947
FirstPran Nath Thapar
AbbreviationDGMO
DeputyAdditional Director General Military Operations (ADGMO)

The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) is a senior officer of the Indian Army, based at Army Headquarters. The DGMO is a three-star officer of the rank of Lieutenant general who oversees all military operations of the Indian Army.

The DGMO plans, coordinates and supervises military operations and serves as the Army's operational point of contact with foreign militaries. The DGMO also acts as a liaison between the different branches of the armed forces for joint operations. DGMOs also serve as the primary officers who prevent escalation during times of conflict with other countries as point of contacts. During major Indo-Pakistan conflicts, DGMOs have served a major role of communication and de-escalation.[1]

History

After the Independence of India, on 15 August 1947, Brigadier Pran Nath Thapar was appointed the Director of Military Operations & Intelligence (DGMO&I). In 1948, after Brigadier J. N. Chaudhuri demitted office, the appointment was divided into Director of Operations (DMO) and Director of Intelligence (DMI). Brigadier Sam Manekshaw took over as the DMO. The appointment was upgraded to two-star rank in the late 1960s. It was further upgraded to three-star rank in the 1980s and re-designated Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).[2]

List of officeholders

NameImageAssumed officeLeft officeOperationsReferences
Director of Military Operations & Intelligence
Brigadier Pran Nath Thapar15 August 1947November 1947Partition of India[3]
Brigadier Jayanto Nath ChaudhuriNovember 1947May 1948India–Pakistan war of 1947–1948
Director of Military Operations
Brigadier Sam ManekshawMay 1948April 1954[4]
Brigadier Gopal Gurunath Bewoor
Brigadier D. C. Noronha1961
Brigadier D. K. Palit19611964Sino-Indian War[5]
Brigadier N. C. Rawlley1964May 1965[6]
Brigadier Narinder SinghMay 1965India–Pakistan war of 1965[7]
Major General Khem Karan SinghOctober 1971
Major General Inderjit Singh GillOctober 1971Indo-Pakistani war of 1971[8]
Major General Zorawar Chand BakhshiOctober 1973September 1974[9]
Major General Arun Shridhar VaidyaOctober 1974[10][11]
Major General Manohar Lal Chibber[12]
Director General of Military Operations
Lieutenant General C. N. SomannaJanuary 1985Operation Blue Star[13][14]
Lieutenant General Prem Nath HoonMay 1985[15]
Lieutenant General R. N. Mahajan[16]
Lieutenant General Bipin Chandra Joshi1986April 1989[17][18]
Lieutenant General V. K. Singh[19]
Lieutenant General Satish NambiarMarch 1992
Lieutenant General Vivek Oberoi[20]
Lieutenant General V. R. Raghavan1994
Lieutenant General Nirmal Chander Vij15 February 19991 October 2000Kargil War[21]
Lieutenant General Gurbaksh Singh Sihota9 October 2001[22]
Lieutenant General Sarvjit Singh Chahal9 October 2001Operation Parakram[22]
Lieutenant General Balraj Singh Takhar1 March 2004[23]
Lieutenant General Madan Gopal1 July 2006[24][25]
Lieutenant General Mohan Pande1 July 20062008[24]
Lieutenant General Chandra Shekhar
Lieutenant General A. S. Sekhon
Lieutenant General Anand Mohan VermaMay 20119 January 2012
Lieutenant General A. K. Choudhary9 January 20121 October 2012[26]
Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia1 October 201228 February 20142013 North India floods
Lieutenant General P. R. Kumar28 February 2014November 20152015 Indian counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar[27]
Lieutenant General Ranbir SinghNovember 2015November 20162016 Indian Line of Control strike[28]
Lieutenant General Anil Kumar BhattNovember 201630 January 2018[29]
Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan30 January 201815 October 20192019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes[30]
Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh15 October 2019April 2021Operation Snow Leopard[31]
Lieutenant General B. S. RajuApril 20211 May 2022[32]
Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar1 May 20221 July 2023[33]
Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma1 July 202325 October 2024[34]
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai25 October 2024October 2025Operation Sindoor[35]
Lieutenant General Manish LuthraOctober 2025Incumbent[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ Jeelani, Gulam (2025-05-10). "Who are the DGMOs? Key players in India-Pakistan ceasefire decision | Today News". mint. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  2. ^ "NEW CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  3. ^ "NEW CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  4. ^ Singh 2005, pp. 193.
  5. ^ Bajpai, Kanti. How Realist Is India’s National Security Policy?. p. 79.
  6. ^ "Major General N. C. RAWLLEY". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  7. ^ WSN (2022-07-31). "10 MAJOR GENERAL NARINDER SINGH (Retd.)". SIKH HERITAGE EDUCATION. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
  8. ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Nation". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
  9. ^ "LIEUTENANT GENERAL ZORAWAR CHAND BAKSHI". gallantryawards.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  10. ^ "GEN AS VAIDYA, PVSM, MVC & BAR, AVSM". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  11. ^ "GENERAL VAIDYA APPOINTED CORPS COMMANDER". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  12. ^ Paul, Amit Krishankant (19 April 2026). "India's close encounters with Pakistan on Siachen". ThePrint. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  13. ^ "Lt. Gen. C.N. Somanna passes away" (in en-IN). The Hindu. 2020-06-14. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  14. ^ "LT GEN SOMANNA RETIRES". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  15. ^ "LIEUTENENT GENERAL PM HOON APPOINTED NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL MILITARY OPERATIONS". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  16. ^ "INDIA AND PAKISTAN TO CONTINUE DIALOGUE ON SIACHEN JOINT STATEMENT ON NEW DELHI TALKS". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  17. ^ I, Webmaster. "Bharat Rakshak :: Land Forces Site - General Bipin Chandra Joshi". www.bharat-rakshak.com. Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  18. ^ "TWO NEW ARMY COMMANDERS APPOINTED". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  19. ^ "INDIAN DELEGATION FOR DEFENCE SECRETARY LEVEL TALKS WITH PAKISTAN ON SIACHEN". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  20. ^ Katoch, P C. India's Special Forces. p. 82.
  21. ^ "ARMY APPOINTMENTS". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  22. ^ "rediff.com: Lt Gen Sarvjit Chahal is named new DGMO". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  23. ^ "New GOC-In-C of Southern Command appointed". The Times of India. 2004-02-23. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  24. ^ "Army appointment : Lt Gen Mohan Pande to be Director General Military Operations". Government of India Press Information Bureau
  25. ^ "English Releases". Government of India Press Information Bureau. Archived 2022-08-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  26. ^ "Lt-Gen A K Choudhary: ‘Troop movement should’ve been avoided if they knew (V K Singh’s) court date’". The Indian Express. 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  27. ^ "Lt Gen P R Kumar to be new Army DGMO". NDTV.com. Archived 2019-09-13 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  28. ^ "Meet Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, man of the moment after announcement of strikes". Hindustan Times. 2016-09-30. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  29. ^ "Director General of Military Operations Anil Bhatt visits native village after 6 years". The Times of India. 2017-01-13. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  30. ^ "Lt. Gen Anil Chauhan takes charge as DGMO of Indian Army". The Times of India. 2018-01-30. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  31. ^ "Lt Gen Paramjit Singh to be new DGMO of Army". The Economic Times. 2019-07-27. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  32. ^ "Lt Gen B S Raju to be new Director General of Military Operations of Indian Army". The Economic Times. 2021-02-22. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  33. ^ Negi, Manjeet (2022-04-19). "Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar to be Indian Army's new DGMO". India Today. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  34. ^ "Lt General Pratik Sharma assumed the appointment of the DGMO". www.spslandforces.com. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  35. ^ Excelsior, Daily (2024-10-26). "Lt Gen Ghai takes over as DGMO". Daily Excelsior. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  36. ^ "DGMO Lt Gen Manish Luthra delivered a talk to #HCC on national security challenges, Indian Army's adaptation to emerging tech & changing conflict landscapes". x.com (formerly twitter). Retrieved 26 Nov 2025.

Bibliography