Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth. (Photo: Indian Army)
New Delhi: In a major leadership transition at the apex of India’s military establishment, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth has formally assumed charge as the 49th vice-chief of the Army staff (VCOAS) on Wednesday at the Army Headquarters, here in New Delhi. He succeeded Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh, who has moved to Western Command as an Army Commander.
Upon assuming his new position, Lt Gen Seth paid tribute to the nation’s fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial, which includes the renowned Amar Jawan Jyoti, in a solemn ceremony.
A long and decorated career
Bringing with him nearly four decades of extensive operational and strategic experience, Lt Gen Seth was closely associated with the Indian Army’s modernization efforts.
In his long spanning career, he had held influential positions in strategic planning and capability development, including colonel capability development for mechanized forces and brigadier perspective plans and acquisition, making significant contributions to the Army’s Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.
His field commands include leading an armoured regiment in desert conditions, heading an armoured brigade in a developed sector, and commanding a counterinsurgency force in Jammu & Kashmir – one of India’s most sensitive operational theatres.
Upon promotion to the rank of lieutenant general, he took command of the Bhopal-based XXI Corps, also called Sudarshan Chakra Corps, a key strike formation of the Army.
In a rare distinction, Lt Gen Seth went on to command two major operational formations as an Army commander – serving as general officer commanding in chief of both the South Western Command and the Southern Command, where he played a crucial role in strengthening India’s military posture along the western front.
Academically, 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 attended the Higher Command Course, the National Defence College, and the Command and Staff Course in Paris.
A critical role ahead
As vice-chief, Lt Gen Seth holds the second-highest position in the Army, below only to the Army chief, with responsibilities encompassing operational readiness, modernization, strategic planning, and coordination across Army commands and formations nationwide.
His appointment comes as India intensifies focus on border security, defence modernization, and multi-domain warfare capabilities.
