{"id":108640,"date":"2026-06-17T19:02:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T13:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=108640"},"modified":"2026-06-17T19:02:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T13:32:46","slug":"lt-gen-dhiraj-seth-appointed-as-the-31st-army-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/lt-gen-dhiraj-seth-appointed-as-the-31st-army-chief\/","title":{"rendered":"Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth Appointed as the 31st Army Chief"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government of India has appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) with effect from 30 June 2026. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi, who assumed office as the 30th Army Chief in June 2024 and is scheduled to retire at the end of June 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>About Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM (Param Vishisht Seva Medal), UYSM (Uttam Yudh Seva Medal), and AVSM (Ati Vishisht Seva Medal), is a distinguished Armoured Corps officer with nearly four decades of service in the Indian Army.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> He has held several important operational, command, instructional, and strategic appointments during his military career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is <\/span><b>currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He <\/span><b>will be the first chief from the armoured corps after General Shankar Roy Chowdhury, who retired in 1997.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth Family Background<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth comes from a distinguished family with a long tradition of service in the Indian Armed Forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His father, <\/span><b>Krishna Mohan Seth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, served as the Adjutant General of the Indian Army and later as Governor of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Tripura.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both father and son have commanded the prestigious <\/span><b>Sudarshan Chakra Corps (XXI Corps)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, one of the Indian Army\u2019s principal strike formations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His younger brother, <\/span><b>Ravnish Seth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is a Rear Admiral in the Indian Navy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth Education<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth is an <\/span><b>alumnus of the National Defence Academy.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was <\/span><b>commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He completed the Higher Command Course and graduated from the <\/span><b>National Defence College.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He also attended the prestigious <\/span><b>Command and Staff Course in Paris.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth Key Command Assignments<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He commanded an <\/span><b>Armoured Regiment in the desert sector.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He commanded an <\/span><b>Armoured Brigade in the western theatre<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and oversaw operational preparedness along a sensitive frontier.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He led a <\/span><b>Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and contributed to internal security operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a Lieutenant General, he <\/span><b>commanded<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the <\/span><b>Sudarshan Chakra Corps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, one of the Indian Army\u2019s principal strike formations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, where he was responsible for important ceremonial, administrative, and security responsibilities, including leading the Republic Day Parade in 2023.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He commanded the South Western Command at Jaipur and the Southern Command at Pune, becoming one of the few officers to lead two operational Army Commands before being appointed Chief of the Army Staff.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Lieutenant General Seth Major Contributions<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lieutenant General Seth has <\/span><b>played a significant role in shaping the Indian Army\u2019s modernisation and long-term capability development strategy.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> His work has strengthened the Army\u2019s preparedness for both conventional military operations and future warfare environments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encouraged the integration of emerging technologies, particularly drones and unmanned systems, into military operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contributed to aligning the Army\u2019s structure and capabilities with the requirements of future warfare.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Southern Army Commander, promoted the use of drone-based capabilities in armoured and mechanised formations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contributed to professional military education and doctrinal development through instructional assignments at leading military institutions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Held key appointments related to strategic planning and capability development at Army Headquarters, where he contributed to future force planning and defence preparedness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>About Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) is the professional head of the Indian Army and the highest-ranking serving officer in the Army. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The COAS is responsible for the command, control, administration, operational preparedness, and modernization of the Indian Army.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>About Appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The COAS is <\/span><b>appointed by the Government of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through the <\/span><b>Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by the <\/b><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/prime-minister\/\" target=\"_blank\">Prime Minister<\/a><\/strong><b>.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>appointment is made by the <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/president-of-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">President of India<\/a>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>senior-most serving Army Commander<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is <\/span><b>usually<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> considered for appointment, although seniority is not a constitutional requirement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Chief holds the rank of a <\/span><b>four-star General.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tenure <\/span><b>continues until the officer attains the age of 62 years or as prescribed by the Government.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The COAS <\/span><b>functions under the civilian control of the Ministry of Defence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Key Functions of the Army Chief<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) the Indian Army and exercises overall command over all Army formations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He advises the Government of India on military, strategic, and national security matters related to land warfare.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensures operational readiness of the Army to deal with conventional and emerging security threats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oversees defence preparedness along India\u2019s borders and in sensitive operational theatres.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directs military planning, force structuring, and capability development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leads modernization initiatives, including induction of advanced weapons, platforms, and technologies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supervises training, doctrine formulation, and professional military education.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manages personnel policies, welfare, discipline, and human resource development within the Army.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coordinates with the Navy, Air Force, and other security agencies to promote jointness and integrated military operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Serves as a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and works closely with the Chief of Defence Staff on tri-service issues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides military inputs during national emergencies, wars, counter-insurgency operations, and disaster relief operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Represents the Indian Army in international military engagements, defence diplomacy, and strategic dialogues.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth appointed as the 31st Chief of Army Staff from 30 June 2026. Know his biography, career, education, achievements, role, and appointment process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":108623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[5432,8184],"class_list":{"0":"post-108640","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-defence","9":"tag-lt-gen-dhiraj-seth-appointed-as-the-31st-army-chief","10":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108640"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":108642,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108640\/revisions\/108642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}