Singh served in the ranks of the British Indian Army from 3 October 1932 to 31 January 1938.

[3] Singh opted to join the Indian Army upon the partition of India in 1947, and commanded the 7th Light Cavalry from September 1947 to May 1949.

He was twice awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest military decoration in India, the first for his role during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, for outstanding leadership during the advance and capture of Jhangar (Operation Bison),[4] and the second for displaying gallantry in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965,[5] during which he was GOC of the 1st Armoured Division.

[11] After retirement he entered politics and became a minister in the short lived Gurnam Singh ministry in 1967.

Later he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 and 1985 for the Jalandhar constituency as a candidate of the Indian National Congress.