New Delhi: General Dhiraj Seth, an Armoured Corps officer, Tuesday took over as the 31st Chief of Army Staff from General Upendra Dwivedi, who has superannuated on attaining the age of 62.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, General Seth is the first officer from the Armoured Corps to become Army chief since the retirement of General Shankar Roy Chowdhary of 20 Lancers in 1997.
He also comes from a distinguished military family. His father, Lieutenant General K.M. Seth retired as Adjutant General of the Army in 1997, back when the new chief himself was a Captain. His brother, Rear Admiral Ravinish Seth is a serving Flag Officer in the Indian Navy.
Incidentally, Gen Seth—known within military circles as a grounded, no-nonsense and operationally focused commander—has commanded the same Bhopal-based 21 Strike Corps that his father once led.
With a reputation for being a ” straight-talking tankman” who speaks his mind, he is regarded by his peers as an officer who is very focused on modernisation and analysing latest trends in military warfare globally and in the immediate region.
Gen Seth assumes office at a critical juncture for the Indian Army. While the force has accelerated acquisition of drones and loitering munitions, besides rejig of its units under new names over the past two years—particularly after Operation Sindoor—many of its core modernisation programmes remain stuck.
Combat and support arms continue to await major upgrades in armoured platforms, artillery, air defence systems, tactical mobility vehicles and other critical equipment.
According to sources, emergency procurement has helped bridge immediate operational gaps in some areas, but cannot be substituted for long-term capability development across the force.
Several acquisition programmes have been delayed for years. Trials for new sniper rifles, for instance, continue without conclusion, while major procurement decisions for armoured personnel carriers and artillery gun systems are yet to materialise.
During Operation Sindoor, the Army had to redeploy specialised artillery guns from the Northeast to the Kashmir sector to support precision strikes. It has also resorted to emergency procurement from the United States for spent artillery munitions.
“Gen Seth comes with a background in long-term perspective planning and modernisation. There are several critical programmes across the force that now require momentum,” a source told ThePrint.
Gen Seth’s professional experience is expected to help address precisely these challenges. Having commanded both the South Western Command and Southern Command, he is among the few senior officers who have experience across two major operational theatres.
At the Army Headquarters, he has held several key appointments in strategic planning and capability development, including Colonel Capability Development for Mechanised Forces, Brigadier Perspective Plans and Acquisition, and Additional Director General Capability Development. In these roles, he has played a significant part in shaping the Army’s long-term integrated perspective plans and modernisation roadmap.
“Widely recognised for his contributions to force modernisation, the General Officer has tenanted pivotal appointments in the Strategic Planning and Capability Development verticals of Army Headquarters, shaping its modernisation trajectory, capability roadmap and long-term force structuring initiatives,” the Army said in a statement. “His contributions have been instrumental in aligning operational requirements with emerging technologies and future battlefield imperatives.”
Sources said that for Gen Seth, the biggest challenge will be to convert the Army’s long-term capability roadmap into signed contracts and equipment entering service.
Given his experience in capability development and perspective planning, expectations within the Army are that he will push for decisions on legacy programmes that have been in the procurement pipeline for years, while ensuring that newer technologies—such as drones, AI, electronic warfare and counter-UAS systems—become integral to the force, rather than niche capabilities.
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