Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth has been appointed as the next Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army. He will succeed the outgoing COAS, General Upendra Dwivedi, who is retiring on June 30.
(PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth is a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, and was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. During his nearly 40-year-long career in the Indian Army, he has served in several important operational, strategic, and administrative roles, playing a key role in strengthening the Army’s capabilities and modernisation efforts.
He has commanded military units at different levels and in various operational environments. His key command assignments include leading an Armoured Regiment in the desert sector, an Armoured Brigade in the western region, and a counter-insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir. As a Lieutenant General, he headed the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Army’s major strike formations. He later served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Delhi Area, where he oversaw important military events and ceremonial duties.
After being promoted to Army Commander rank, Lt Gen Seth led both the South Western Command and the Southern Command. This made him one of the few officers to command two operational Army Commands, giving him responsibility for key strategic regions for more than two-and-a-half years.
He has also held several important staff and planning roles at Army Headquarters, where he contributed to operational planning, force management, and capability development. He is widely credited for supporting the Army’s modernisation efforts and helping shape its future force structure by integrating new technologies and evolving battlefield requirements.
A highly accomplished officer, Lt. Gen. Seth has consistently performed exceptionally in military training courses. He is a graduate of the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College, and has also attended the prestigious Command and Staff Course in Paris, giving him extensive exposure to global military and strategic affairs.
