SRINAGAR: The Government of India has appointed Lt General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), with effect from June 30, 2026. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi, whose tenure as Army Chief comes to an end later this month.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the appointment has been approved by the President of India, and Lt General Seth will assume the substantive rank of General upon taking over as the head of the Indian Army.
In an official statement, the Ministry said Lt General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM and AVSM, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from June 30, 2026, in place of General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM and AVSM.
The Ministry of Defence further stated that General-designate Seth will serve as Army Chief until August 31, 2028.
The appointment places Lt General Seth at the helm of the Indian Army for a tenure of more than two years, during which he will oversee the force’s operational preparedness, modernisation initiatives and strategic priorities.
