New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth on Wednesday expressed happiness over his new appointment and said that he will lead the force with “an unwavering commitment to the ideals of duty, honour and ‘Nation First’.

Earlier, Gen Seth laid a wreath at the National War Memorial to honour those who made the supreme sacrifice on the line of duty. He was then accorded a Guard of Honour at the South Block lawns.

General Dhiraj Seth took over as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi upon his retirement on Tuesday.

In a warm gesture after receiving the Guard of Honour, Gen Seth saluted his father Lt Gen K.M. Seth (Retd) and was saluted by his brother Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth.

Speaking to the reporter, Army Chief Gen Seth said, “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.

Detailing the priorities, Gen Seth said that the first letter is ‘V’ for Vigilance and Readiness. “We will maintain constant vigilance regarding our borders and emerging threats, and uphold a high level of operational readiness to effectively counter any challenge to national security,” he added.

‘I’ stands for Innovation and Transformation, he said, adding, “My focus will be to innovate in both doctrine and technological solutions. Innovation will be an integral part of our mindset, operational methods, and capability development; furthermore, necessary transformations will be implemented to adapt to the evolving battlefield.”

‘J’ represents Jointness and Integration; to enhance the Indian Army’s operational effectiveness. “We will maintain synergy — complete coordination and alignment — with the Air Force and the Navy. I am fully aware that national security is not limited to military might alone but encompasses a collective effort involving military-civil fusion and a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach. This integrated approach will also make us partners in nation-building and propel us towards the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’,” the Indian Army Chief added.

‘A’, he said, stands for ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance); leveraging indigenous capabilities and technologies developed within the country, we will build a self-reliant Army. “The overall aim will be to win our wars using indigenous solutions,” he added.

‘Y’ for ‘Yodha First’, Gen Seth said, “From the youngest Agniveer to the most senior veteran, everyone is a ‘Yodha’ (warrior), and these warriors constitute the Army’s greatest strength. Strengthening the technological threshold and training standards of our soldiers will be my top priority.”

“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 Upendra 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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