Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) has been appointed the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He will also function as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, with effect from the date of assumption of charge. The former Army officer will replace General Anil Chauhan, who will be completing his tenure as CDS on May 30 this year.
Lt Gen Subramani is presently serving as military adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He retired from the Army as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) on July 31 last year.
During his 39-year career in the Indian Army, he also served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Central Command. For his distinguished service, Lt Gen Subramani has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).
He was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985. Lt Gen Subramani has served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles during his stint, spanning almost four decades, with the Army.
“He commanded 16 Garhwal Rifles in Counter-Insurgency in Assam as part of Operation Rhino, 168 Infantry Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir and 17 Mountain Division in the Central Sector during a challenging operational environment. He also has the distinction of having commanded 2 Corps, the premier strike Corps of the Indian Army on the Western Front,” an official release from the Centre said.
NEW NAVY CHIEF ALSO APPOINTED
In another major military appointment, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been appointed as the next Chief of the Indian Navy. He is currently serving as the Western Naval Commander. The Flag Officer will take charge as Chief of Naval Staff on May 31, the day when Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi is set to retire from the top post.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan
Admiral Swaminathan has commanded the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya during his career. He has also held the commands of guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, missile corvette INS Kulish, and missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash.
He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987. He is a specialist in communication and electronic warfare. Besides the National Defence Academy in Khadakvasla, the officer is also an alum of the College of Naval Warfare in Maharashtra’s Karanja, the Joint Services Command and Staff College in UK’s Shrivenham, and the United States Naval War College in Rhode Island.
– Ends
Published By:
Shipra Parashar
Published On:
May 9, 2026 07:02 IST
