New Delhi, June 13 (UNI): Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). He will assume office on the afternoon of June 30, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who is set to retire from service the same day.
The appointment marks the culmination of a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades for the Armoured Corps officer, who has held several key operational, command and strategic assignments across the Indian Army.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Throughout his career, he has commanded formations at every level, ranging from an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector to an Armoured Brigade along the Western Front and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir.
After his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General, he commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Army’s principal strike formations. He later served as General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, overseeing military engagements of national and international significance and handling ceremonial responsibilities in the national capital.
As an Army Commander, Lt Gen Seth headed both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, becoming one of the few officers to have led two operational Army Commands. His tenure provided strategic oversight across critical sectors, particularly along India’s Western Front.
The General Officer has also played a prominent role in shaping the Army’s modernisation and capability development efforts. During his service at Army Headquarters, he held several appointments in strategic planning and force development, including roles related to mechanised forces, acquisition planning and long-term capability enhancement. Officials said his contributions were instrumental in aligning future force structures with emerging technologies and evolving battlefield requirements.
His staff appointments have included Brigade Major of an Independent Armoured Brigade in Jammu and Kashmir, Operations Officer with the United Nations Mission in Angola, Assistant Military Secretary at Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Staff (Operations) at Headquarters South Western Command, and Director General Discipline, Ceremonial and Welfare.
Recognised as an accomplished military scholar, Lt Gen Seth has consistently excelled in professional military education. He topped the Junior Command Course and received the Best All-Round Student Officer award at the Defence Services Staff College. 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.
Lt Gen Seth took over as Vice Chief of the Army Staff on April 1, 2026. He has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in recognition of his distinguished service.
With his appointment as Army Chief, Lt Gen Seth is expected to steer the force through an ongoing phase of transformation, modernisation and capability enhancement amid evolving regional and global security challenges.
