AP Should have been in infantry, Dinesh was very good at math: COAS on Air Force Chief & Navy Chiefs

New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Upendra Dwivedi said that Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, his NDA coursemate, should have been in the infantry and recalled that Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, his classmate from Sainik School, was very good at maths.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, the army chief said, "See, when we were in school, we used to look at all the three services. We used to love all the three. It just so happened that I came in Army. Let me tell about AP first. As far as AP is concerned, from NDA days, he is a gold torch. And he is, everybody has a natural liking towards him. He is a man who can collect people together. He is a natural leader. And he takes ownership in a crowd. But he is a very straightforward man, and such a team-bonding man. So, I say in the lighter moment, he should have been in the infantry."
"The way he took me around and made me do the loop. And he gave me the joystick and I controlled that. Then he made me do the barrel roll too. So I feel that, yes, if AP allows me today, that's also a good option for me," the Army Chief said.
Sharing the experience of flying the LCA together with Air Marshal AP Singh during the recent Aero India 2025, the Army Chief said, "This was the first time it happened in history. But so many things happened in history, like Dinesh class fellow becoming chief. From fifth (class) onwards, we were together. We didn't study further than school. We didn't even think of becoming officers. See, Dinesh is definitely better in everything. He is tall. And we both were good at maths. No, but Dinesh has taken over first. So he is senior to me."
"In front of media, we are up and about and we are stiff upper lip. But once we are together, then we just hold each other and keep talking to each other like school days," the Army Chief said. (ANI)