Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth will be the next Chief of Army Staff, the government announced on Saturday. He will assume office on June 30 following the retirement of the current Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi.
Lt Gen Seth is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, a position he took over on April 1 this year.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.
During a military career spanning nearly four decades, he has built an extensive operational profile across diverse terrains and conflict environments, including counter-insurgency operations. He has commanded an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector, an Armoured Brigade in the plains, and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir.
After his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General, he commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps and later served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, overseeing several major national and international engagements. Lt Gen Seth subsequently served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, earning the rare distinction of leading two operational commands.
He has also held several key staff and strategic 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.
According to the government, Lt Gen Seth has played a significant role in strategic planning and capability development. He has held appointments such as Colonel Capability Development (Mechanised Forces), Brigadier Perspective Plans and Acquisition, and Additional Director General Capability Development. In these roles, he contributed substantially to the Indian Army's Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan and broader modernisation efforts.
Lt Gen Seth has an impressive academic record. 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 also an alumnus of the Higher Command Course and the prestigious National Defence College. He has also attended the Command and Staff Course in Paris.
