Who is the new Chief of Defence Staff?

• The government has appointed Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani (retd) as the Chief of Defence Staff.

• He shall also function as the Secretary to the government of India, Department of Military Affairs, with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders. 

• The present Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan will complete his tenure on May 30.

• On January 1, 2020, Gen Bipin Rawat took charge as India’s first CDS with a mandate to bring convergence in the functioning of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and bolster the country’s overall military prowess.

• Gen Chauhan assumed charge of the CDS in September 2022, more than nine months after the post fell vacant following the death of Gen Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash.

• While the age-limit for the three service chiefs is 62 years or three years of service, whichever is earlier, the age limit for the CDS is 65 years with no fixed tenure defined.

• As per existing norms, the government may extend the services of the Chief of Defence Staff for a maximum of 65 years.

Who is Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani?

• In his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, Lt Gen Subramani served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles and held a host of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments.

• Lt Gen Subramani is currently serving as the Military Advisor at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).

• He served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025, and was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Command from March 2023 till June 2024.

• The officer is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.

• He was commissioned into the eighth battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985.

• Lt Gen Subramani is an alumnus of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Bracknell (UK), and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts degree from King's College, London, and an MPhil in Defence Studies from Madras University.

• He commanded the 16 Garhwal Rifles in counter-insurgency operations in Assam as part of Operation Rhino, the 168 Infantry Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir, and the 17 Mountain Division in the Central Sector during a challenging operational environment.

• He also distinguished himself by commanding two corps, including a premier strike corps of the Indian Army on the Western Front.

• Lt Gen Subramani’s staff and instructional assignments include Brigade Major of a Mountain Brigade, Defence Attache in Kazakhstan, Assistant Military Secretary in the Military Secretary’s Branch, Deputy Commander of a Rashtriya Rifles Sector in Jammu & Kashmir, and Deputy Director General of Military Intelligence at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army).

• He also held the posts of Brigadier General Staff (Operations) in the Eastern Command, Chief Instructor (Army) at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and Chief of Staff at Headquarters Northern Command.

• He possesses insightful knowledge and a deep understanding of operational dynamics on both the Western and Northern borders.

• For his distinguished service, the General Officer has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal.