The Centre on Saturday announced the appointment of Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). He will assume charge on June 30 following the retirement of General Upendra Dwivedi.
In an official communication, the Ministry of Defence said the President has approved the appointment of Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, as the next Chief of the Army Staff in the substantive rank of General with effect from June 30, 2026. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi and serve until August 31, 2028.
Lt Gen Seth is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff and has held several important operational, staff and strategic appointments during his distinguished military career.
Who is Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth?
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in 1986. With nearly four decades of service, he has built an extensive record of command and leadership across a range of operational and institutional assignments.
He has attended several prestigious military courses, including the Defence Services Command and General Staff Course at the Military College in Paris, France; the International Defence Acquisition Management Course at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, USA; the Higher Command Course at Mhow; and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
During his career, Lt Gen Seth has commanded an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector, an Armoured Brigade in a developed sector and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir. He later commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps and served as General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, overseeing several major national and international engagements.
He also headed the Pune-based Southern Command during Operation Sindoor and subsequently supervised key tri-services exercises conducted along the western border.
Apart from field commands, Lt Gen Seth has held several important staff appointments, including 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.
With his vast operational and strategic experience, Lt Gen Seth is set to take over the leadership of the Indian Army at the end of this month.