The Ministry of Defence has announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, as the next Chief of the Army Staff effective from the afternoon of June 30, 2026. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who retires from service on the same day. Lt Gen Seth is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Lt Gen Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. With nearly four decades of military service, he has extensive experience across operational, strategic, capability development, and institutional domains. 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 Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Indian Army's premier strike formations, and subsequently served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area.
The officer has the rare distinction of commanding two operational Army Commands - South Western Command and Southern Command - providing strategic oversight across critical theaters for over two and a half years. He has held several key staff and strategic appointments influencing operational planning, force management, and capability development. Lt Gen Seth is widely recognized for his contributions to force modernization, having served in pivotal appointments in the Strategic Planning and Capability Development verticals of the Army Headquarters.
An accomplished military professional, Lt Gen Seth has excelled in professional military education, securing top positions in courses of instruction. He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and has attended the prestigious Command & Staff Course in Paris.