The Government of India has formally appointed NS Raja Subramani as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), succeeding Anil Chauhan whose tenure is set to conclude on May 30.

According to the official announcement, Lt Gen Subramani will assume office with effect from the date he takes charge. In addition to serving as the country’s top military officer, he will also hold the position of Secretary, Department of Military Affairs.

A distinguished alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, Lt Gen Subramani was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles in 1985.

With more than four decades of military service, he has held several key operational and leadership roles in the Indian Army. Prior to his appointment as CDS, he served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff and also headed the Central Command as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C).

The appointment comes at a crucial time as India continues to strengthen military integration and joint operational preparedness under the Department of Military Affairs framework established after the creation of the CDS post in 2019.