Vice Chief of Army Staff: The Indian Army is preparing for a big change in its senior leadership starting April 1. Several top officers will move into new roles. These changes will affect some of the Army’s most important commands and also the position of Vice Chief of Army Staff.
One of the biggest changes involves Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth. He is currently the head of the Southern Command based in Pune. From April 1 he will move to New Delhi to become the Vice Chief of Army Staff. This position is the second most senior role in the Indian Army after the Chief of Army Staff.
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Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth
Lt Gen Seth is an Armoured Corps officer who joined the Indian Army in December 1986. Over the years he has served in many command and staff roles. Before leading the Southern Command in July 2024 he commanded the XXI Strike Corps in Mathura. This formation is one of the Army’s key strike forces.
He has also commanded an Independent Armoured Brigade an Armoured Division and the Delhi Area. Earlier in his career he served as a Military Observer with the United Nations Mission in Angola which gave him international operational experience.
He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla and has studied at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. He also attended advanced courses at the National Defence College in New Delhi and the AICSC in Australia. For his service he has received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).
New Commanders for Western
The leadership reshuffle will also affect some of the Army’s major operational commands. Lt Gen P.P. Singh who is currently serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff will move to a new role. From April 1 he will become the Western Army Commander.
The Western Command is headquartered in Chandimandir. It is one of the most critical commands in the Indian Army because it oversees the border areas facing Pakistan. The command is responsible for maintaining military readiness and planning operations along the western front.
Lt Gen P.P. Singh comes from the elite Parachute Regiment Special Forces. His appointment is notable because only a few Special Forces officers have ever commanded an Army Command.
Eastern Commands
Another important change will take place in the Eastern Command. Lt Gen V.M.B. Krishnan will become the new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the command starting April 1. The Eastern Command is headquartered in Kolkata and manages operations along the Line of Actual Control with China in the eastern sector. It also oversees borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Lt Gen Krishnan is currently serving as the Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters. Earlier in his career he commanded the XVII Corps which is the Army’s mountain strike formation designed for operations along the China front. He has also served as Director General of Information Technology at Army Headquarters.
He will replace Lt Gen Ram Chander Tiwari who has been leading the Eastern Command since January 2024. Lt Gen Tiwari is scheduled to retire later this month.
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New Southern Command Chief and Why the Changes Matter
With Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth moving to New Delhi another officer will take charge of the Southern Command. Lt Gen Sandeep Jain will become the new Southern Army Commander in Pune.
Lt Gen Jain is currently serving as the Chief of Staff at the Southern Command. Earlier he commanded the II Corps in Ambala which is also known as the Kharga Corps. This corps is one of the Army’s major strike formations on the western front.
The Southern Command plays an important role in the Indian Army. It manages military operations across southern India and also handles important tasks like training logistics and disaster relief support.
