The Indian government has appointed Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff, with effect from of June 30, 2026.
Lt Gen Seth, currently serving as vice chief of the army staff, will succeed Gen Upendra Dwivedi, who is set to retire the same day.
According to India’s Defence Ministry, Lt Gen Seth will assume the substantive rank of general when he takes charge as army chief. He will become the 31st army chief of India.
Lt Gen Seth currently holds the second-highest position in the Indian Army, where his responsibilities include operational readiness, modernization, strategic planning and coordination across commands and formations.
The Government has appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, presently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, as the next Chief of the Army Staff in the substantive rank of General with effect from the afternoon of 30 June 2026.
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) June 13, 2026
An alumnus of the National… pic.twitter.com/RExcCKjWJh
Nearly four decades of military service
Lt Gen Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986 and brings nearly four decades of operational, strategic, capability development and institutional experience.
Over his career, he has contributed significantly to the Indian Army’s combat effectiveness and long-term transformation.
Lt Gen Seth has commanded at every level in diverse operational environments. His command assignments include an armoured regiment in the desert sector, an armoured brigade in the western theatre and a counterinsurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir.
As a lieutenant general, he commanded the Bhopal-based XXI Corps, also known as the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Indian Army’s premier strike formations.
Rare distinction as army commander
Lt Gen Seth later served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, where he oversaw key national and international military engagements and ceremonial responsibilities. On elevation as army commander, he commanded both South Western Command and Southern Command.
This gave him the rare distinction of commanding two operational Army Commands and providing strategic oversight across critical theatres for more than two and a half years.
Role in modernisation, capability development
Lt Gen Seth has held several important staff and strategic appointments that shaped operational planning, force management and capability development.
He has been closely associated with the Army’s modernization drive and served in key roles, including Colonel, Capability Development for Mechanized Forces, and Brigadier, Perspective Planning and Acquisition.
His work contributed to the Army’s Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan and helped align operational requirements with emerging technologies and future battlefield needs.
Lt Gen Seth has also performed strongly in professional military education. He stood first in the Junior Command Course and was awarded the Best All-Round Student Officer medal at the Defence Services Staff College.
He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and has also attended the Command and Staff Course in Paris.
Challenges ahead
Lt Gen Seth will take charge at a time when the Indian Army faces several major priorities. These include operational lessons from Operation Sindoor, the push for indigenous military platforms, force restructuring under the theatre command framework and persistent border tensions.
His experience in modernization, strategic planning and operational command is expected to play a key role as the Army moves through a period of transformation.
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