The Government of India on Saturday announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). He will assume office on June 30, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who is set to retire from service on the same day.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Defence said, “I am directed to convey the approval of the President to the appointment of Lt General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM as the next Chief of the Army Staff in the substantive rank of General, with effect from 30th June, 2026 vice General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, with a tenure up to 31st August, 2028.”
Lt General Seth is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS), a position he assumed in April this year. With nearly four decades of distinguished military service, he brings extensive operational, strategic and leadership experience to the Army’s highest post.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Lt General Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Over the course of his career, he has held several key command, staff and strategic appointments that have significantly shaped operational planning, force management and capability development within the Indian Army.
His command assignments include leading an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector, an Armoured Brigade in the Western Theatre, and a Counter Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also commanded the prestigious Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Army’s premier strike formations.
Lt General Seth has served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Delhi Area and later headed both the South Western Command and the Southern Command. Notably, he holds the rare distinction of commanding two operational Army Commands, providing strategic oversight across critical theatres for more than two and a half years.
The government highlighted his wide-ranging expertise across operational, strategic, capability development and institutional domains, making him one of the most experienced officers in the Indian Army.
As he prepares to take charge as the Army Chief, Lt General Seth is expected to lead the force through a period marked by rapid military modernization, technological transformation and evolving security challenges. His appointment comes at a time when the Indian Army is focusing on enhancing operational readiness, strengthening indigenous defence capabilities and adapting to emerging threats along the nation’s borders.
With his vast leadership experience and proven track record in command and strategic roles, Lt General Dhiraj Seth is set to become the 31st Chief of the Army Staff, carrying forward the Army’s commitment to national security and military excellence.
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