Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth Takes Charge as New Army Chief

Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, assumed charge as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff on June 30, 2026, succeeding retiring Gen Upendra Dwivedi after a ceremonial handover in New Delhi.

The Chief of the Army Staff heads the Indian Army, the largest of the three armed services, and is responsible for the force's operational readiness, equipment modernisation and personnel policy across commands spanning the western, northern and eastern borders.

The Army's officer cadre management system tracks command tenures closely to ensure a steady pipeline of eligible candidates reaches the rank of Lieutenant General with the operational exposure required for top leadership roles, of which the Chief of Army Staff post is the culmination.

Seth takes over from Gen Upendra Dwivedi, whose tenure concluded with the ceremonial handover marking the transition of command.

As Army Chief, Seth will take charge at a time when the force continues to manage simultaneous operational commitments along both the western border with Pakistan and the northern and eastern sectors bordering China.

His tenure will also be watched for continuity on ongoing modernisation priorities, including indigenisation of equipment under the broader defence self-reliance push that has shaped procurement policy across the services in recent years.

Seth formally took charge on June 30, 2026, following the ceremonial handover in New Delhi.