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New Delhi, June 30
General Dhiraj Seth took charge as India’s new Chief of the Army Staff on Tuesday, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired after more than four decades of military service.
Gen Seth assumes command of the 1.3 million strong Indian Army at a time when it is pursuing modernisation, expanding indigenous defence capabilities and preparing for increasingly complex security challenges along the country’s borders.
An officer of the Armoured Corps, Gen Seth was commissioned into the Army in December 1986 after graduating from the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla. Before becoming the Army chief, he served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
His appointment comes as India’s armed forces continue efforts to become more self reliant while adapting to rapid technological changes that are reshaping modern warfare.
During a military career spanning nearly four decades, Gen Seth has served in a wide range of operational, strategic and leadership roles. He is among the few officers to have commanded both the South Western Command in Jaipur and the Southern Command in Pune, earning the rare distinction of leading two operational Army commands along the western front.
He has also commanded an armoured regiment in the desert sector, an armoured brigade in the western theatre, a counter insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir and the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Army’s premier strike formations. He later headed the Delhi Area, overseeing military engagements and ceremonial responsibilities in the national capital.
Officials said Gen Seth played an important role in shaping the Army’s long term modernisation plans, capability development and force restructuring while serving in senior appointments at Army Headquarters.
As commander of the Southern Command, he also oversaw operational preparedness during Operation Sindoor, maintaining what officials described as a high level of readiness.
Beyond the battlefield, Gen Seth has built a reputation as a military strategist and planner. He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College and also attended the Command and Staff Course in Paris, gaining experience in contemporary military strategy and international defence affairs.
