New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) An emotional moment marked General Dhiraj Seth’s first day as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff on Wednesday when he saluted his father, Lieutenant General K.M. Seth (retd), after receiving the ceremonial Guard of Honour, in a touching gesture that reflected both military tradition and filial respect.

The heartfelt exchange, captured on camera, came shortly after General Seth formally assumed command of the Indian Army, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi.

Earlier in the day, the new army chief laid a wreath at the National War Memorial to pay homage to soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. He was later accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the South Block lawns.

As the ceremony concluded, General Seth walked towards his family members and respectfully saluted his father, Lt General Seth (retd). He also sought the blessings of his mother by touching her feet in a deeply emotional moment witnessed by those present.

His brother, Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, also saluted the new army chief as General Seth approached his family following the Guard of Honour ceremony, making the occasion even more memorable.

Speaking to the media after assuming charge, General Seth described his appointment as both an honour and a humbling responsibility.

“It is a matter of happiness and humility for me to take charge as the 31st Chief of Army Staff. I accept this responsibility with an unwavering commitment to the ideals of duty, honour and ‘Nation First’.”

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for trusting him with the “honour and responsibility” of leading the Indian Army.

“I also pay my humble tributes to those brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice while serving the nation. Their courage, devotion and selfless dedication will continue to inspire the future generations,” he added.

Gen Seth said that the Indian Army is a “combat-ready and battle-hardened force”, which is always “prepared and capable of embracing the necessary technologies”.

To meet the challenges of the evolving security landscape, the army chief said, “We must advance the modernisation of the Army with renewed zeal and firm resolve. Our objective is to build a technology-enabled, future-ready Army that is empowered in every respect and capable of operating across multiple domains.”

“Keeping these objectives in mind, and drawing inspiration from the guidance provided by the Hon’ble Defence Minister under the ‘Decade of Transformation,’ I have identified my key focus areas. Each letter of the word ‘VIJAY’ represents one of my priorities,” he said.

“Our veterans and Veer Naris are integral to our military family, and their welfare, empowerment, and professional growth will remain of utmost importance to me,” he added.

Gen Seth further said that he bows down to all the former army chiefs, including his predecessor, General Dwivedi (retd), whose vision and leadership “have shaped the Indian Army into a strong, robust, and reliable force”.

“On this occasion, I assure every citizen of this country that the Indian Army is fully prepared, and will always remain so, to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests of the nation,” he further stated.

“I believe that the guiding mantra given by the Prime Minister for the armed forces, JAI, which stands for Jointness, Atmanirbharta, and Innovation, forms the foundation of my priorities embodied in the acronym VIJAY, which I have outlined. It will always lead us to complete success. JAI Se VIJAY. Jai Hind,” the army chief added.

–IANS

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