NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Lieutenant-General Joginder Jaswant Singh has been named India's next Chief of the Army Staff to succeed Gen N.C. Vij when he retires on Jan 31, says an official announcement.

Lt-Gen Singh, who is the senior-most Lt-Gen in the army, would become the first Sikh officer to head it. He is presently General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Army Command.

An alumni of the National Defence Staff College, Wellington, Gen Singh has held prestigious positions, including General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Army Training Command and Additional Director General of Military Operations, the statement issued on Saturday said.

As ADGMO, Gen Singh became army's public face during the 1999 Kargil conflict.

In his operational role, the new army chief commanded the Mountain Brigade in Baramulla, a division in the Western Sector and one of the three strike corps of the army.