India appoints Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth as next Army Chief

The government on Saturday appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). He will assume office on June 30, 2026, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who took over as the Army's 30th chief in June 2024.

Currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Seth took charge of the post on April 1, 2026. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, he was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986 and has nearly four decades of service in the Indian Army.

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Over the course of his career, Lt Gen Seth has held a range of operational, command and strategic appointments across diverse terrains and conflict environments. He has commanded an armoured regiment in the desert sector, an armoured brigade, and a counter-insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir.

After his promotion to Lieutenant General, he commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps and later served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, overseeing several major national and international engagements. As an Army Commander, he headed both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, becoming one of the few officers to have commanded two operational commands along the western front.

Lt Gen Seth has also held several key 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.

He has played an important role in the Army's capability development and modernisation efforts, serving in appointments related to strategic planning and force development. These include Colonel Capability Development for Mechanised Forces, Brigadier Perspective Plans and Acquisition, and Additional Director General Capability Development. In these roles, he contributed to the formulation of the Army's long-term modernisation and capability enhancement plans.

A highly decorated officer, Lt Gen Seth has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).

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Under his academic and professional record, he secured first position in the Junior Command Course and won the Best All Round Student Officer medal at the Defence Services Staff College. He is also a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and has attended the Command and Staff Course in Paris.

Lt Gen Seth is scheduled to take over as the next Army Chief with effect from June 30.