NEW DELHI, June 13: The Government has appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, presently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from the afternoon of June 30, 2026.
The present Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi will retire from the service the same day.
Lt Gen Seth assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on April 1, 2026, as part of a series of top-level appointments announced by the Indian Army across key operational commands.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Over a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades, he has served in a variety of operational environments, including extensive counter-insurgency assignments.
In a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades, he has had extensive experience across operational, strategic, capability development and institutional domains, contributing significantly to the Indian Army’s combat effectiveness and long-term transformation.
Widely recognised for his contributions to force modernisation, Lt General Seth’s contributions have been instrumental in aligning operational requirements with emerging technologies and future battlefield imperatives.
The officer has commanded an armoured regiment in the desert sector, an armoured brigade, and a counter-insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir. As a Lieutenant General, he commanded the prestigious Sudarshan Chakra Corps and later served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area.
Following his elevation as Army Commander, Lt Gen Seth headed both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, becoming one of the few officers to have commanded two major operational commands. His tenure saw him oversee critical operational responsibilities along India’s western front.
An accomplished military professional, Lt General Seth has consistently excelled in professional military education, securing top positions in courses of instruction. He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and has also attended the prestigious Command and Staff Course in Paris, reflecting his broad strategic outlook and understanding of contemporary military affairs.
With vast experience in conventional operations, counter-insurgency and strategic leadership, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth is set to take over the reins of the Indian Army at a time of evolving regional security challenges and ongoing force modernisation efforts.
General Dwivedi had taken over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Manoj Pande (retired) in June 2024. General Dwivedi is an accomplished military leader, with over 40 years of service in the armed forces.
An alumnus of Sainik School in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, he was commissioned into the Regiment of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1984. He has a unique distinction of balanced command as well as staff exposure across Northern, Eastern and Western theatres, in varied operational environments.
He took over as COAS at a time when the global geostrategic environment was dynamic, with challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements and ever-changing character of modern warfare.
(Manas Dasgupta)
