Gen Dhiraj Seth takes charge as 31st Indian Army chief as Gen Upendra Dwivedi retires

New Delhi: General Dhiraj Seth on Tuesday assumed charge as the 31st chief of the Army staff (COAS). He succeeded General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired from service after completing his tenure as the head of the Indian Army.

With nearly four decades of military service, Gen Seth takes over at a key moment as the Army pursues an ambitious programme of modernisation, technological transformation and greater operational integration with the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force under the government’s theatre commands initiative.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Over the course of his career, he has held a series of operational, staff and strategic appointments spanning conventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations and long-term force planning.

Widely regarded as one of the Army’s leading planners, he has played a significant role in shaping its modernization roadmap. His key staff appointments include colonel (capability development – mechanized forces) and brigadier (perspective planning and acquisition), where he contributed extensively to the formulation of the Army’s Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan.

His command experience spans some of the Army’s most important operational formations. He has commanded an Armoured Corps regiment in the desert sector, an armoured brigade in a developed theatre and a counterinsurgency force in Jammu & Kashmir. Following his promotion to lieutenant general, he took command of the Bhopal-based XXI Corps, better known as the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Army’s principal strike formations.

In a rare distinction, Gen Seth has commanded two Army commands. He served as the general officer commanding in chief (GOC-in-C) of both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, overseeing operational preparedness and strengthening India’s military posture along the western frontier.

Academically, Gen Seth has maintained an exceptional record throughout his military career. He stood first in the Junior Command Course and was awarded the Best All-Round Student Officer Medal at the Defence Services Staff College. He has also completed the Higher Command Course, the National Defence College course and the prestigious Command and Staff Course in Paris.

His distinguished service has been recognized with some of the country’s highest military decorations, including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).

Gen Seth is expected to lead the Army through a period of far-reaching reforms, with priorities likely to include capability enhancement, indigenous defence technologies, force restructuring, integrated theatre commands and continued preparedness along India’s contested borders.

Under existing service rules, he is due to serve as Army chief until 31 August 2028, unless the government grants an extension.

Gen Dwivedi bids farewell

Earlier on Tuesday, Gen Dwivedi paid homage to the nation’s fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. He was subsequently accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour on the South Block lawns before demitting office.

Gen Dwivedi retired after more than four decades of distinguished military service. During his tenure as Army chief, he maintained a high level of operational readiness while advancing greater jointness among the three services.

Widely known within military circles as the “Drone General”, he spearheaded initiatives to accelerate the Army’s transformation through the induction of emerging technologies, force restructuring and a series of soldier-centric reforms, while placing particular emphasis on the integration of unmanned systems into future battlefield operations.

In his farewell speech before the media, Gen Dwivedi said, “Today, as I complete my tenure as the chief of the Army staff, I feel a sense of deep gratitude, pride and satisfaction.” He said the Army does not draw its strength “from one individual, but from its soldiers, commanders, veterans, families, and the unshakeable faith of the country’s citizens,” and offered his gratitude to the fallen heroes of our Army.