Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi will be the next Chief of Army Staff succeeding incumbent Gen Manoj Pande, the government announced on Tuesday night.
Lt Gen Dwivedi is currently serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff.
Gen Pande will retire on June 30.
In appointing Lt Gen Dwivedi, the government has followed the seniority principle.
"The government has appointed Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, presently serving as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from the afternoon of June 30," the defence ministry said.
In a rare move, the government last month extended Gen Pande's tenure by one month days before his superannuation.
Gen Pande was to retire from service on May 31.
The move triggered speculation that Lt Gen Dwivedi may be overlooked for the top post.
The senior-most official after Lt Gen Dwivedi is Lt Gen Ajay Kumar Singh, the Southern Army Commander.
Both Lt Gen Dwivedi and Lt Gen Singh are course mates and were to retire together on June 30.