CDS General Anil Chauhan chairs final COSC meeting before May 30 retirement
Synopsis
India's second Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, chaired his final Chiefs of Staff Committee meeting on 25 May, closing a tenure defined by the push toward military theaterisation. His successor, Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani — a King's College London alumnus and former NSC Military Adviser — takes over as both CDS and Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, with the unfinished theaterisation agenda squarely on his desk.
Key Takeaways
General Anil Chauhan chaired his concluding Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) meeting on 25 May , ahead of retirement on 30 May .
Tripathi , Chief of Naval Staff, also attended his final COSC meeting at the same session.
General Chauhan has served as India's second CDS since 30 September 2022 .
The Centre has appointed Lt Gen N.S.
Raja Subramani as the next CDS; he will also serve as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs .
Lt Gen Raja Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985 and holds a Master of Arts from King's College London .
Advancing military theaterisation remains the central unfinished agenda for the incoming CDS.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Monday, 25 May chaired the concluding session of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) in New Delhi, marking the formal close of his tenure ahead of his superannuation on 30 May. The meeting also served as the final COSC sitting for Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff, who is retiring around the same time.
What the Meeting Marked
The Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) noted in an official message that both officers' leadership had 'strengthened Jointness, Integration, Operational Synergy amongst the Services, including the march towards Theaterisation, leaving a lasting imprint on the Defence Forces.' The IDS extended its 'deepest gratitude and best wishes to both distinguished leaders.'
General Chauhan's Tenure at a Glance
General Anil Chauhan has served as India's second Chief of Defence Staff since 30 September 2022, taking over after the death of General Bipin Rawat. His tenure has been defined by sustained efforts to advance theatre commands — a long-pending structural reform aimed at integrating the Army, Navy, and Air Force under unified operational structures. While full theaterisation remains a work in progress, the groundwork laid during his term is considered significant by defence analysts.
The Incoming CDS: Lt Gen Raja Subramani
The Centre has appointed Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani as the next Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Chauhan. Along with the CDS role, he will concurrently serve as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Military Affairs from the date he assumes charge.
The Ministry of Defence described Lt Gen Raja Subramani as 'a highly decorated officer with over four decades of distinguished service.' He has been serving as Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat since September 2025 and previously held the posts of Vice Chief of the Army Staff and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, besides commanding key operational formations along the Western and Northern fronts.
Academic and International Profile
Lt Gen Raja Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985 after training at the National Defence Academy. He later attended the Joint Services Command Staff College in Bracknell, United Kingdom and studied at the National Defence College in New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts from King's College London and an M.Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University. He also served as Defence Attaché at the Embassy of India in Astana, Kazakhstan.
What Comes Next
With both the CDS and CNS transitions occurring simultaneously, the incoming leadership will face immediate continuity demands — particularly on the theaterisation agenda, which requires inter-service consensus and legislative groundwork. Lt Gen Raja Subramani's background at the National Security Council Secretariat signals a continued emphasis on strategic integration at the highest levels of the defence establishment.
Point of View
The defining reform of Chauhan's tenure, remains structurally incomplete: inter-service disagreements over command hierarchies have slowed what was once projected as a three-year project. Lt Gen Raja Subramani's appointment from the National Security Council Secretariat rather than from a field command suggests the government wants a strategist, not just an operator, at the helm. Whether he can break the inter-service deadlock that stalled his predecessor is the real test of this transition — not the credentials, which are formidable.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is General Anil Chauhan retiring as CDS?
General Anil Chauhan is set to retire on 30 May 2025, concluding his tenure as India's second Chief of Defence Staff. He has held the post since 30 September 2022.
Who is the new Chief of Defence Staff after General Chauhan?
Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani has been appointed as the next Chief of Defence Staff by the Centre. He will also serve concurrently as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Military Affairs.
What is the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC)?
The Chiefs of Staff Committee is India's apex inter-service military body comprising the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff in his capacity as Permanent Chairman. It coordinates joint military planning, integration, and operational synergy across the three services.
What was General Chauhan's key contribution during his tenure?
According to the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, General Chauhan's leadership strengthened jointness, integration, and operational synergy among the services, including advancing the march towards theaterisation — the structural reform to create unified tri-service theatre commands.
What is Lt Gen Raja Subramani's background?
Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985 after the National Defence Academy. He served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, GOC-in-C Central Command, and Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat since September 2025. He holds an MA from King's College London and an M.Phil from Madras University.
