The Centre on Saturday appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff in the rank of General. He presently serves as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
The appointment will come to effect from “the afternoon of 30 June 2026”, the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X. He will assume office upon the retirement of on 30 June 2026.
The post added, “An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and an Armoured Corps officer, Lt Gen Seth brings with him nearly four decades of distinguished service, marked by extensive command, staff and strategic appointments across diverse operational and institutional domains.”
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.
An alumnus of the National…
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD)
The Ministry of Defence stated that Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth has held a wide range of operational, command and strategic appointments during his distinguished military career.
The General Officer has commanded units and formations across diverse operational environments, including 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 later served as General Officer Commanding, Area, overseeing important national and international military engagements.
The Ministry further stated that as an Army Commander, Lieutenant General Seth led both South Western Command and Southern Command, becoming one of the few officers to command two operational Army Commands. Over more than two-and-a-half years, he provided strategic direction across critical theatres and contributed significantly to operational planning, force management and capability development.
The Ministry highlighted that Lieutenant General Seth has played a key role in shaping the Indian Army’s modernisation efforts through important appointments related to strategic planning and capability development. His work has focused on aligning operational requirements with emerging technologies and future battlefield needs.
It added that Lieutenant General Seth has also demonstrated excellence in professional military education, graduating from the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, while also attending the prestigious Command & Staff Course in Paris.
