Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth Appointed Next Chief Of Army Staff

Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, with effect from June 30. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi, who is scheduled to retire on the same day. The appointment marks the culmination of a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades, during which Lt Gen Seth has held a wide range of operational, strategic and leadership roles across the Indian Army.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Throughout his service, he has gained extensive experience across operational commands, capability development initiatives and institutional leadership. His career reflects a steady progression through some of the Army’s most significant command and staff appointments, contributing to both combat readiness and long-term force transformation.

Lt Gen Seth has commanded military formations at every level in diverse operational environments. His command assignments have included leading an armoured regiment in the desert sector, an armoured brigade in the western theatre and a counter-insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir. As a Lieutenant General, he commanded the prestigious Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Indian Army’s premier strike formations, further strengthening his credentials in operational leadership.

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He later served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, where he oversaw important national and international military engagements along with ceremonial responsibilities. Following his elevation to Army Commander, Lt Gen Seth led both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, a rare distinction that placed him in charge of strategic oversight across critical operational theatres for more than two-and-a-half years.

Widely recognised for his contributions to force modernisation, Lt Gen Seth has held key appointments in the Strategic Planning and Capability Development divisions at Army Headquarters. In these roles, he played an important part in shaping the Army’s modernisation roadmap, force structure planning and capability enhancement programmes. His efforts have focused on integrating emerging technologies and aligning future battlefield requirements with operational needs.

A highly accomplished military professional, Lt Gen Seth has also excelled in professional military education. He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and has attended the prestigious Command and Staff Course in Paris. His appointment as the next Army Chief comes at a time when the Indian Army continues to pursue modernisation and capability enhancement, with his extensive experience expected to guide the force through evolving security and strategic challenges.

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