General Dhiraj Seth Assumes Office as 31st Chief of Army Staff

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**General Dhiraj Seth** has officially taken charge as the **31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)** of the Indian Army.
He succeeds **General Upendra Dwivedi**, who retired after serving the military for over **40 years**.

**General Dhiraj Seth**, recipient of **PVSM**, **UYSM**, and **AVSM**, is a senior four-star officer in the Indian Army.
He joined the elite **Armoured Corps** (**2nd Lancers / Gardner's Horse**) in **December 1986**.
With nearly four decades of service, he is the first officer from the **Armoured Corps** to lead the Army since **1997**.

He gained extensive operational experience by leading both the **South Western Command** and **Southern Command** for over **2.5 years**.
He has held key operational roles, including leading the **XXI Sudarshan Chakra Corps**, serving as **GOC Delhi Area**, and commanding counter-insurgency forces in **Jammu & Kashmir**.
During his tenure as the **49th Vice Chief of Army Staff**, he focused on strategic military planning, boosting operational capabilities, and introducing modern technologies.
He won the **Silver Centurion** award, trained at top defense institutes, and served as a **UN Operations Officer** during **UNAVEM III** in **Angola** between **1995** and **1996**.

The **Chief of the Army Staff** serves as the military head and operational leader of the **3-million-strong** Indian Army.
As a four-star General, the **COAS** acts as the main military advisor on land warfare to the **Ministry of Defence** and sits on the **Chiefs of Staff Committee** as a permanent member.

The position originated during British rule under the title of **Commander-in-Chief, India**, supervising military forces under the **British East India Company** and the Crown.
In **1947**, after independence, the designation changed to **Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army**.
Parliament passed the **Commander-in-Chief (Change in Designation) Act** in **1955**, officially creating the title **Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)**, with **General Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja** becoming the first officer to hold it.

The **COAS** exercises structural control over the Army, maintaining active combat readiness, strong border security, and defense operations along all frontiers.
The position guides long-term military modernization, establishing procurement plans and integrating automated weapons into defense operations.
The leader works alongside the **Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)**, the **Chief of the Naval Staff**, and the **Chief of the Air Staff** to build combined warfare models and integrated theater commands.
The **COAS** directs military action during national crises, manages counter-insurgency efforts, and leads **Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)** missions.