Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth Appointed as Next Chief of Army Staff to Take Charge on June 30 - First Armoured Corps Officer to Lead Indian Army in Nearly Three Decades | Current Affairs

The government announced on June 13, 2026 that Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, will take charge as the next Chief of the Army Staff on June 30, 2026. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi, who retires on the same day after completing his tenure. The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Lt Gen Seth belongs to the Armoured Corps and was commissioned into the Army in December 1986. His appointment makes him the first Armoured Corps officer to lead the Indian Army in nearly three decades — the last was General Shankar Roychowdhury, who retired in September 1997. Over a career spanning four decades, Seth commanded an Armoured Regiment in the Desert Sector, an Armoured Brigade in the Western Theatre, a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Sudarshan Chakra Corps — one of the Indian Army's premier strike formations. He later commanded both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, a rare distinction of heading two operational Army Commands.

Seth is a graduate of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and has attended the Command and Staff Course in Paris. He holds the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

Why in News: Army Chief appointments appear regularly in SSC CGL, Banking, UPSC, and Railway exams. This one carries an extra fact — first Armoured Corps officer as Army Chief since 1997 — which makes it even more likely to be asked.

Key Points to Remember:

Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth appointed: next Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
Takes charge: June 30, 2026
Appointment approved by: ACC (Appointments Committee of the Cabinet)
Succeeds: General Upendra Dwivedi (30th COAS; retires June 30, 2026)
Current role: Vice Chief of the Army Staff (took charge April 1, 2026)
Corps: Armoured Corps; commissioned December 1986; unit: 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
First Armoured Corps officer as COAS since General Shankar Roychowdhury (retired Sept 1997)
Key commands: Sudarshan Chakra Corps (XXI Corps), Delhi Area, South Western Command, Southern Command
Education: NDA Khadakwasla; Higher Command Course; National Defence College; Command and Staff Course, Paris
Awards: PVSM, UYSM, AVSM

Related Static GK:

Chief of Army Staff is the head of the Indian Army; appointed by ACC
Indian Army established: April 1, 1895 (as British Indian Army); current form post-independence 1947
Indian Army HQ: South Block, New Delhi
Total COAS positions so far: Dhiraj Seth will be the 31st COAS
Current COAS: General Upendra Dwivedi (30th; took charge June 30, 2024)
NDA full form: National Defence Academy; located in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra
Sudarshan Chakra Corps (XXI Corps): Strike Corps based in Bhopal; one of India's key offensive formations
ACC full form: Appointments Committee of the Cabinet; chaired by the Prime Minister
PVSM full form: Param Vishisht Seva Medal — India's highest peacetime military service decoration