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General Dhiraj Seth, an accomplished military officer with the rare distinction of heading two operational Army commands along the western front, took charge as the new Chief of the Army Staff on Tuesday, officials said. Gen Seth assumed the reins of the 1.3 million-strong force at a time when it is forging a path to become a self-reliant and future-ready Army while meeting challenges on the borders. The general officer succeeded General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired on Tuesday after an illustrious career spanning over 40 years in the armed forces. Gen Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Prior to becoming the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), he served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff. Gen Seth took over as the COAS at a time when the global geo-strategic environment remains dynamic, with challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements
In future, wars will be more joint, integrated and theatre-oriented, therefore the armed forces' direction is clear "to see together, take decisions together and take actions together", outgoing Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday. Gen Dwivedi, an accomplished military leader with over 40 years of service who retires on Tuesday, was accorded a guard of honour as part of a ceremonial farewell held on the lawns of the South Block. In his remarks to the media on the sidelines of the event, Gen Diwedi said, "Today, as I complete my tenure as the Chief of the Army Staff, I feel a sense of deep gratitude, pride and satisfaction." Gen Dwivedi took over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff in June 2024. "The journey from Sainik School till now has been incredible. To serve the Indian Army for over four decades has been the greatest fortune in my life," he said. The Indian Army draws its strength "not from one individual, but from its soldiers, commanders, veterans, families
Gen NS Raja Subramani on Sunday took charge as India's new Chief of Defence Staff and his primary mandate will be to implement the ambitious military theaterisation plan and bolster tri-services synergy. He succeeded Gen Anil Chauhan, who signed off after completing his tenure as the country's senior-most military commander on Saturday. Gen Subramani, widely known as an expert on Pakistan and China, was serving as the Military Advisor at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He retired as the Vice Chief of Army Staff on July 31 last year. As Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Subramani's primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model by rolling out integrated military commands. In his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, Gen Subramani served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles and held numerous Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. He served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025 and was General ..
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said Operation Sindoor had set a benchmark for when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining India's response to provocation. Reviewing the passing-out parade of the 150th course at NDA, Khadakwasla, General Dwivedi said the world cadets were stepping into "does not pause for introductions" and threats today "do not always arrive in uniform or on a declared front". "From contested grey zones to high-velocity hybrid warfare, today's security environment demands that those who serve must think sharply as they act," he said while addressing the parade. "Operation Sindoor demonstrated that and set the benchmark when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining how Bharat responds to provocation. That standard now belongs to you to uphold," the Army Chief said. He said that the integrated response seen in Operation Sindoor, India's military exercise against terror infrastructure in Pakist
Indian peacekeeper serving with the UN mission in Lebanon, Major Abhilasha Barak, has been named the recipient of a prestigious military gender advocate award by the world body. Barak has been honoured with the 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her outreach efforts with women and girls during her deployment in the West Asian nation. "Proud to announce that Major Abhilasha Barak has been awarded the 2025 @UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. She is being recognised for her outreach and community engagement activities for women and adolescent girls and gender sensitisation training for peacekeepers," the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said in a post on X Friday. Barak is serving with the Indian Battalion as the Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) in UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). She is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army. She will be honoured at the UN headquarters when the world body ...
Under Operation Sindoor, Indian forces dismantled terror infrastructure, punctured a long-standing strategic assumption, and then stopped "deliberately and purposefully", and it reflected "smart power" in its most complete expression, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday. In his address at a seminar hosted at the Manekshaw Centre here, he also said that twelve months ago, India offered the world a "partial answer" to the so-called smart power question. "On the intervening night of May 6-7 in 2025, Bharat acted. In a precisely defined 22-minute operation window, Operation Sindoor delivered military precision, information control, diplomatic signalling and economic resolve, as one coherent national act. We struck deep, dismantled terror infrastructure, punctured a long standing strategic assumption, and then stopped, deliberately and purposefully," the Army chief said "The deliberate thought after 88 hours, was smart power in its most complete expression, knowing exactly whi
In a stern military message to Islamabad, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said if Pakistan continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, then they have to "decide whether they want to be part of geography or history or not". At an interactive session hosted by 'Uniform Unveiled' at the Manekshaw Centre here, he was asked about how the Indian Army will respond if circumstances that led to Operation Sindoor last year comes up again. The Army chief said, "If you have heard me earlier, what I have said... that Pakistan, if it continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, then they have to decide whether they want to be part of geography or history or not." His remarks at the event, 'Sena Samwad', came days after the country and the Indian military marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. Gen Dwivedi's remarks, though brief carried a blunt message to Pakistan, and reiterated India's stand against terrorism. Operation Sindoor was launched e
The Indian Army has received two new indigenous combat systems under Emergency Procurement (EP-6), including the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Munition (ULPGM) and the AGNIKAA VTOL-1 First-Person View (FPV) Kamikaze Drone.Defence sources said that the systems were handed over in Hyderabad in the presence of officials from the Army's Western Command following successful high-altitude, electronic warfare (EW) and precision-guided munition firing trials.The two systems, ULPGM and AGNIKAA VTOL-1, have been designed, developed and manufactured indigenously.The ULPGM, co-developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Adani Defence & Aerospace, is India's first indigenous loitering munition in its category. The system is equipped with an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker and can be launched from UAVs to target both stationary and moving targets.The UAV has an operational range of up to 20 kilometres, while the munition itself has a strike range of 2.5 ...