In a significant development, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff, succeeding incumbent General Upendra Dwivedi, who is set to retire on June 30. The government adhered to the long-standing practice of elevating the senior-most officer, despite a narrow seniority gap between the two top contenders.
Background of the Contenders
Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, currently serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Army Staff designate, and Lt Gen Manjinder Singh, who holds the position of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the South Western Command, were both commissioned from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on December 20, 1986. Both officers possess extensive experience and have held key command and staff appointments throughout their careers.
Factors Determining Seniority
Lt Gen Seth edged ahead of his coursemate on two key parameters: his personal service number and his earlier appointment as an Army Commander. The personal service number, or IC number, is allocated based on a cadet's position in the order of merit at the time of commissioning. According to publicly available details, Lt Gen Seth is senior by 21 positions in terms of IC numbers. This number serves as a crucial determinant of seniority when other factors are comparable.
Army Commander Appointments
Lt Gen Seth was appointed GOC-in-C of the South Western Command in Jaipur on November 1, 2023. In contrast, Lt Gen Manjinder Singh was appointed GOC-in-C of the Army Training Command in Shimla on December 1, 2023. Subsequently, Lt Gen Seth was moved to the Southern Command in Pune, while Lt Gen Manjinder Singh was posted from Shimla to Jaipur to succeed him. This sequence of appointments further solidified Lt Gen Seth's seniority.
The Selection Process
At the time of selecting the Army Chief, the government considers the Vice Chief and all Army Commander–rank officers, with seniority-cum-merit as the guiding principle. The Vice Chief and all GOC-in-Cs are considered equivalent in rank for this purpose. Currently, the Army has nine officers of Army Commander rank, forming the apex leadership echelon. These include the Vice Chief, the GOC-in-Cs of six operational commands and one training command, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Forces Command, a tri-service post currently held by an Army officer.
Among them, Lt Gen Seth and Lt Gen Manjinder Singh are the senior-most, while the remaining officers were commissioned in 1987 and 1988. The practice of appointing the senior-most eligible Army Commander has largely been followed by the government, barring a few exceptions. The last major deviation from the principle of seniority occurred in 2016, when General Bipin Rawat, who later became the first Chief of Defence Staff, was appointed Army Chief, superseding two other Army Commanders.
Implications of the Appointment
This appointment marks the return of the Armoured Corps to the helm of the Indian Army after 30 years, as Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth belongs to this elite corps. His elevation is seen as a continuation of the tradition of seniority-based selection, ensuring stability and experience in the top military leadership.
