Dhiraj Seth Next Chief of Army Staff: The Defense Ministry has issued orders for the appointment of the country’s new Army Chief i.e. Chief of Army Staff. In the order issued by the ministry, it was said that the President has approved the appointment of Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth as the next Army Chief. Now he will serve on the post of General. Dheeraj Seth will take charge on June 30, 2026. He will replace the current Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.

His tenure as Army Chief will last till 31 August 2028. In this matter, Joint Secretary of the Ministry Satyajit Mohanty has issued a signed letter, and the concerned departments have also been informed.

Know about Dheeraj Seth’s tenure in the Army till now

Dheeraj Seth has been a former student of the National Defense Academy (NDA) of Khadakwasla located in Pune district of Maharashtra. He was commissioned in the Armored Corps in 1986. He has been in the army for four decades. During his tenure, he has gained experience in different terrains and conflict situations. This also includes anti-terrorism operations.

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Apart from this, the Lieutenant has commanded an armored regiment in desert areas, an armored brigade in developed areas and an anti-terrorism force in Jammu and Kashmir. After becoming a Lieutenant, he commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, later serving as General Officer Commanding in Delhi. Where he led major national and international operations. After becoming Army Commander, he served as General Officer Commanding in Chief of South-Western Command and Southern Command. Apart from this, he has the distinction of handling two operational commands on the Western Front.

Command handed over to an armored corps i.e. tank officer after three decades
Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth has served as the commander of the strike corps which penetrated into enemy territory and attacked. The special thing is that after almost three decades, the government has handed over the command of the Army to an Armored Corps i.e. Tank officer. The last time in 1997, General Shankar Roy Choudhary was an officer of this corps, who took the reins of the army. Till now, infantry and artillery officers have dominated the post of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in the Indian Army.

Apart from holding the post of Commander of Bhopal-based Sudarshan Chakra Corps, Lieutenant General Seth has served as the Commander of the Army’s Southern Command and Western-Southern Command. Both these corps are responsible for the security of the Pakistani border from Bathinda in Punjab to Kutch in Gujarat.

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Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth: The country is going to get a new army chief soon. General Upendra Dwivedi is retiring after completing his tenure on 30 June 2026 and in his place Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth has been appointed as the next Army Chief of India. At present he is holding the post of 49th Deputy Army Chief of the country and on June 30, he will take command as the 31st Army Chief. The special thing is that his tenure will last till 31 August 2028. Let us know a little more about Dheeraj Seth, who has received big honors like PVSM, UYSM and AVSM.

Journey from studies to army

Talking about Dheeraj Seth’s education, he has studied from many big and well-known military institutions of the country. He has studied in all these institutions like National Defense Academy Khadakwasla, Indian Military Academy Dehradun, Defense Services Staff College Wellington, Army War College Mhow and National Defense College New Delhi. Since taking commission in the Armed Corps on 20 December 1986, he has spent nearly four decades in the Indian Army.

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Be it commanding an armed regiment in the desert sector, counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir or the role of operations officer in the United Nations Mission in Angola, he remained steadfast everywhere. Besides, after becoming Lieutenant General, he also took command of 21 Strike Corps and Delhi Area. In this long journey, he has worked on all three important positions – command, staff and training.

Father has also been an army officer

Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth’s relationship with the army is not at all new, it is a tradition in his house. His father Lieutenant General Krishna Mohan Seth also served in the Indian Army and retired as Adjutant General in 1997. Also, he was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022, Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025 and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2026.

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During Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army had destroyed terrorist hideouts and military bases located in Pakistan. After this, Pakistan keeps an eye on every movement of the Indian Army. Pakistan is losing sleep due to the Indian Army’s movements on the Kutch border and creek in Gujarat on the India-Pakistan international border. On one hand, Operation Sindoor is active, while on the other hand, the preparations of the Indian Army are ready to deal with every challenge. Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command, Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth (PVSM, UYSM, AVSM) conducted a comprehensive operational review in Gujarat. During this, a thorough assessment of military preparedness, deployment and quick reaction capabilities in the strategically important Kutch and Creek sector was done.

As part of the visit, Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth inspected the large-scale ‘Defense of Gujarat’ exercise. The objective of this exercise was to test the combat readiness, multi-agency coordination and action systems of the Indian Army in challenging geographical and operational conditions. The exercise strongly validated the Southern Command’s ability to ensure security of national interests in diverse operational areas in Gujarat.

Pakistan’s conspiracy during Operation Sindoor

It is noteworthy that during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had tried to target residential areas in the border areas of Gujarat by drone and missile attacks, but the defense of the Indian Army had foiled every attack. Amidst these preparations, the Army Commander inaugurated the Mega Surgical Eye Camp Outreach Program organized at Bhuj Military Station in collaboration with the specialist ophthalmological teams of Army Hospital (Research and Referral), New Delhi. Over 2,500 patients from over 120 remote villages were examined during the camp, while vision of over 200 beneficiaries was restored through advanced diagnostics and surgeries. This initiative reflects the Indian Army’s continued commitment towards providing quality health services to border and deprived areas.

How did the tour end?

In Ahmedabad, Lieutenant General Seth and Regional President of Southern Command Army Women Welfare Association (AWWA) Komal Seth spoke to brave women and brave mothers and honored them. This occasion underlines the sensitivity and responsibility of the Indian Army towards the families of soldiers who have made supreme sacrifice for the country. The tour concluded with the ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ programme, which was attended by Honorable Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel. The program witnessed a vibrant confluence of military glory and cultural heritage, which was inspired by the vision of a developed India. Display of Indian fashion through Khadi by NIFT students, attractive presentation of Bharatnatyam and martial arts programs like Jhank Pathak, Kalaripayattu and Army Martial Arts Routine (AMAR) by the soldiers enthralled the audience.

Effort to strengthen the unbreakable relations of the Indian Army

The visit reinforces the spirit of a capable and secure India, in which equal importance was given to public service and cultural engagement with strong defense preparedness. This initiative further strengthens the unbreakable bond of the Indian Army with the nation moving towards a Developed India @2047.