The Indian Army is a combat-ready, battle-hardened force, and the aim is to build a technology-enabled, future-ready force capable of operating in multiple domains, newly-appointed Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth said on Wednesday, as he coined the acronym 'VIJAY' to achieve that goal.

"'V' stands for vigilance and readiness, 'I' for innovation, 'J' for jointness and integration, 'A' for Aatmanirbhrata and 'Y' for 'Yodha first'," Gen Seth said and asserted that each letter reflects "my priorities".

Gen Seth took charge as the Army chief on Tuesday. He succeeded General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired on June 30.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Gen Seth was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.

He is an accomplished military officer with the rare distinction of heading two operational Army commands along the western front.

Speaking to reporters after receiving a guard of honour on the lawns of the South Block on Wednesday, Gen Seth said, "I accept this responsibility (COAS) with deep commitment to the ideals of duty, honour and nation first."

Prior to becoming the 31st COAS, he served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.

Gen Seth takes over as the COAS at a time when the global geo-strategic environment remains dynamic, with challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements and the ever-changing character of modern warfare.

"To meet the challenges of a changing security environment, we must take forward the modernisation of the army with new vigour and firm determination.

"Our aim is to forge a technology-enabled, future-ready army which is powerful in all forms, and capable of operating in multiple domains," the general officer asserted.

In keeping with this vision, Gen Seth said he has identified some "focus areas" inspired by the 'Decade of Transformation' (2023–2032), a modernisation and restructuring roadmap envisaged by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the Indian Army.

Elaborating on the meaning of his acronym 'VIJAY', Gen Seth said, "(V means) We will maintain a constant alertness when it comes to our borders and emerging threats, and will maintain a high level of operational readiness for effectively facing any challenges linked with national security."

For 'I', the Army chief said his focus will be to innovate both in doctrine and technological solutions, adding, amid the evolving nature of battlefields, "necessary transformations" will be brought.

On 'J', he said, "For augmenting the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army, we will maintain full synergy and integration with the Air Force and the Navy."

Gen Seth also emphasised the importance of military-civil fusion and 'whole-of-nation' approach in augmenting national security.

On 'A', i.e., Atmanirbharta, the general officer underlined that "we will become a self-reliant army through indigenous capabilities and technologies developed in the country".

On the 'Y' aspect of 'VIJAY', he said, "Boosting the technological threshold of the soldiers and enhancing the level of training will be my main priorities."

In his remarks, he also expressed his gratitude to his immediate predecessor Gen Upendra Dwivedi, who superannuated on Tuesday after over 40 years of service in the armed forces, and other former chiefs of the Indian Army, saying their foresight and leadership have established the Army as a strong, indomitable and credible force.