General Dhiraj Seth Takes Charge as India's 31st Chief of Army Staff; Succeeds General Upendra Dwivedi
New Delhi, June 30: General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, on Tuesday assumed charge as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who retired after more than four decades of distinguished service in the Indian Army.
The Ministry of Defence, in an official statement, said General Seth brings with him nearly 40 years of military experience, having served in key operational, strategic, capability development and institutional roles that have significantly contributed to the Indian Army’s combat preparedness and long-term transformation.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, General Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.
During his illustrious career, he has commanded formations at every level across diverse operational environments. His command assignments include an Armoured Regiment in the Desert Sector, an Armoured Brigade in the Western Theatre, and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu & Kashmir.
As a Lieutenant General, he commanded the prestigious Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Indian Army’s premier strike formations. He later served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, overseeing several key national and international military engagements as well as ceremonial responsibilities in the national capital.
After being promoted to the rank of Army Commander, General Seth headed both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, becoming one of the few officers to command two operational Army Commands. He provided strategic leadership across critical operational theatres for more than two and a half years.
The Ministry noted that General Seth has also held several important staff appointments that played a crucial role in operational planning, force management and military capability development.
Recognised as a key architect of the Army’s modernisation efforts, General Seth has served in the Strategic Planning and Capability Development divisions at Army Headquarters. His work has focused on aligning future battlefield requirements with emerging technologies, modernisation programmes and long-term force restructuring initiatives.
A distinguished military scholar, General Seth has consistently secured top positions in professional military courses. He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course, the National Defence College, and has also attended the prestigious Command & Staff Course in Paris, reflecting his extensive strategic and international military exposure.
With General Dhiraj Seth taking over as the Army Chief, the Indian Army enters a new phase of leadership focused on operational preparedness, technological modernisation and strengthening future combat capabilities amid evolving regional and global security challenges.
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