General Dhiraj Seth Assumes Command as 31st Chief of Indian Army
General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, officially took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army on June 30, 2026. He succeeds General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who retired after serving the nation for over four decades.
The change-of-command ceremony, held at the South Block Lawns in New Delhi, was marked by a Guard of Honour presented to General Upendra Dwivedi. The outgoing Chief also paid tribute at the National War Memorial in honor of fallen soldiers. General Seth assumed leadership of the Indian Army, which comprises 1.3 million personnel, witnessed by senior military and civilian officials.
General Dhiraj Seth, a distinguished officer from the Armoured Corps, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the 2nd Lancers (Gardner’s Horse) from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on December 20, 1986. Notably, he is the third COAS from the 2nd Lancers and the seventh from the Armoured Corps.
Throughout his career, marked by operational excellence and strategic insight, General Seth has held significant command, staff, and instructional roles in various operational settings. His command responsibilities have included leading 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 led the Sudarshan Chakra Corps (XXI Corps), based in Bhopal, and later served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, before becoming Army Commander.
He achieved the rare honor of commanding two operational Army Commands along the western front—first as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Command (November 2023 – June 2024), and then as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command (July 2024 – March 2026). His leadership during Operation Sindoor earned him the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) in 2026.
Before taking up the role of Chief of the Army Staff, General Seth served as the 49th Vice Chief of the Army Staff from April 1, 2026. His pivotal contributions at Army Headquarters included positions in the Strategic Planning Directorate and as Additional Director General Weapons and Equipment, significantly influencing the Army's modernization and capability development.
General Seth has shown a strong commitment to professional military education. He graduated from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, as the best all-around student in 2006, and also from the Army War College, Mhow, and the National Defence College, New Delhi. His international education includes the Command & Staff Course at the French Collège interarmées de Défense and the International Defense Acquisition Management Course at the Naval Postgraduate School in the USA. He also served as an operations officer with the United Nations Angola Verification Mission III in 1995–96.
His exemplary service has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), along with several commendations from the Chief of the Army Staff and Army Commanders.
General Seth hails from a prominent military family. His father, Lieutenant General (Retd) Krishna Mohan Seth, served as Adjutant General of the Indian Army and commanded both the XXI Strike Corps and III Corps. His brother, Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, is a flag officer in the Indian Navy. General Seth is married to Mrs. Komal Seth and has two daughters. He is an enthusiastic sportsman, excelling in tennis and golf.
General Dhiraj Seth takes command amid a focus on boosting the Indian Army's operational readiness, advancing indigenous modernization under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and preparing for multi-domain operations in a dynamic geo-strategic landscape. His vast experience in command, counter-insurgency operations, and capability development will be instrumental as the Army continues its transformation and adapts to technological advancements.
As the new Chief of the Army Staff, General Seth is expected to advance the work of his predecessors by steering the Army towards greater self-reliance and enhancing combat effectiveness along the borders.
The Indian Army and the nation extend their best wishes to General Dhiraj Seth for a successful and impactful tenure as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff. His leadership is anticipated to further strengthen the Army's role as a cornerstone of national security.
