NEW DELHI: After 42 years in the Indian Army, General Manoj Mukund Naravane retired on Saturday.

On the occasion of relinquishing the position of Chief of the Army Staff, he was honoured with the Guard of Honour on the South Block grounds (COAS). He had laid a wreath at the National War Memorial before that.

Following a meeting with General Naravane earlier in the day, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said: "I had a lovely meeting with Army Chief of Staff General MM Naravane, who is retiring today after 42 years of service to the country. As a military chief, his achievements have bolstered India's defence capabilities and preparedness. In his future endeavours, I wish him the best of luck." At the Rashtrapati Bhavan, General Naravane and his wife Veena Naravane paid a visit to President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind.

During the standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh, Naravane was in charge of ensuring the maximum level of operational preparedness. India and China engaged in a face-off in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh shortly after he took over as COAS in 2019, in which the Indian Army lost 20 soldiers.

In June 1980, Gen Naravane was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment's 7th Battalion. He served in the Assam Rifles, commanded a Rashtriya Rifles unit in Kashmir, and was a member of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka during 'Operation Pawan.'

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