Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Command, will retire on Tuesday after 40 years of distinguished service in the Army, according to an official statement.Speaking to the media on the eve of his retirement, Lt Gen Katiyar highlighted the significant work undertaken by the Western Command over the last several years, including its role in ‘Operation Sindoor’ and ‘Operation Rahat’ last year.Operation Sindoor, he said the command successfully thwarted Pakistan’s “nefarious” designs and has since maintained a high state of operational readiness.”We are undertaking large-scale procurement of new equipment, including drones and counter-drone systems and wherever needed, we are also manufacturing these items in-house within our own workshops,” he told reporters at the Army’s Western Command Headquarters in Chandimandir in Panchkula.He also acknowledged the command’s role in Operation Rahat during the massive floods last year, and thanked the civil administration, the central armed police forces (CAPFs), the Border Security Force (BSF), and the local population for their support across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Delhi.”The Western Command has undertaken significant work over the past several years. As you are aware, during Operation Sindoor last year, we thwarted Pakistan’s nefarious designs and achieved success.”For this accomplishment, I wish to congratulate all the troops of the Western Command and express my deep gratitude to them,” he said.In September 2025, while addressing the media, Katiyar had said the armed forces are prepared to thwart any misadventure by Pakistan, asserting that the Operation Sindoor “still continues”.Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces carried out pre-dawn missile strikes on May 7, 2025, on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.Following the action, Pakistan launched an offensive against Indian military bases and resorted to shelling the border areas for the next three days.Lieutenant General Katiyar had assumed the charge as Army Commander, Western Command on July 1, 2023.  An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Katiyar was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of The Rajput Regiment in June 1986.He is a graduate of the Defence Service Staff College, National Defence College, and he is also a distinguished graduate of the National War College, USA.In a career spanning 40 years, Lt General Katiyar has served across a wide spectrum of operational areas in Siachen Glacier, along the Line of Control both in the 15 and 16 Corps and along the Line of Actual Control in 3, 14 and 33 Corps.He also served as an instructor in the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.He has the distinction of commanding an infantry brigade along the Western Borders, Army Headquarters Reserve Mountain Division along Northern Borders and Mountain Strike Corps responsible for offensive operations.Lt General Katiyar was conferred Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.Reflecting on his career, he said, “After 40 years of service, I am retiring. For approximately the last three years, I have been serving at the Western Command as Army Commander. It has been a matter of great honour for me to have had the opportunity to serve in the Indian Army.”On the occasion, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who worked alongside me, collaborating closely, in all our endeavours, including operations and training,” he said.Katiyar said in the Western Command, one of the objectives has also been to enhance the living conditions and educational facilities available to the soldiers and their families.”We remain fully committed to the welfare of our veterans and ex-servicemen, ensuring their needs regarding medical care and pensions are comprehensively addressed,” he said.”I would also like to extend my gratitude to the media; they provided excellent coverage of our achievements, and, equally importantly, highlighted any shortcomings or errors on our part, enabling us to rectify them,” he said.He also thanked his fellow soldiers, officials of civil administration and the common citizens.