Promoted to the rank of major in 1965, he graduated from the Command and Staff College at Quetta, Pakistan. Decorated in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, he was granted a six-month antedate seniority making his official commissioning date September 1952. He served as the Brigade Major of an independent brigade from 1965–67 and as a company commander as well as the 2IC (second in command) of his battalion in 1968.