Indian Army's Lt Gen BS Nagal to head Strategic Forces Command

New Delhi: For the first time ever, an Indian Army general, Lt Gen Balraj Singh Nagal, will take command of the country's strategic forces and its nuclear arsenal, an official announcement said.

Lt Gen Nagal, currently director general (logistics) at the Army Headquarters, will take over as chief of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) on 30 September, from vice-admiral Vijay Shanker, who moves as  commander of the nation's other tri-services command, based in Andaman and Nicobar Island.

So far, only air force and naval officers have headed the recently set up SFC. The Army, along with Air Force, are the only two services operating nuclear-tipped missiles and bombs. The Navy will come into the picture only once its under-sea missile launch capability is fully operational.

Army has already raised some three to four specialized missile groups which operate the short- and the long-range surface-to-surface Prithvi and Agni missiles. Both these missiles have the capability to carry conventional as well as nuclear warheads.

Army has also set up a new unit to operate the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.