India, June 13 -- The Centre on Saturday appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who is set to retire on June 30, 2026. Lt Gen Seth, currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, will assume charge on the same day.

An officer of the Armoured Corps, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1986 after graduating from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. Over nearly four decades of service, he has held several key operational, command and strategic appointments across the country.

Before becoming Vice Chief in April 2026, Lt Gen Seth served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command and earlier head...