General Upendra Dwivedi relinquishes appointment of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)
General Upendra Dwivedi superannuates as Chief of the Army Staff after a tenure focused on readiness, jointness, transformation, and soldier welfare.
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General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, superannuated on 22 July 2026 and relinquished the appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). The Ministry of Defence described his tenure as one focused on operational preparedness, jointness among the Services, force restructuring, technology absorption, and soldier welfare.
What happened
The Ministry of Defence stated that General Upendra Dwivedi completed more than four decades of service and handed over the office of the COAS on his superannuation. The official release credited his tenure with a high state of operational preparedness across the Indian Army.
Background and earlier position
The COAS is the professional head of the Indian Army and one of the key service chiefs in India’s higher defence structure. The post is central to readiness on the Northern Borders, the Western Front, and wider inter-service coordination.
