Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani appointed new Chief of Defence Staff
Synopsis
India has a new Chief of Defence Staff. Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani — a Garhwal Rifles veteran with over four decades of service, a King's College London MA, and stints from Jammu and Kashmir to Kazakhstan — has been named CDS, succeeding General Anil Chauhan whose tenure ends 30 May.
Key Takeaways
Raja Subramani has been appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) , succeeding General Anil Chauhan whose tenure ends 30 May .
He will simultaneously serve as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Military Affairs .
Raja Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985 after training at the National Defence Academy .
He holds an MA from King's College London and an M.Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University.
He has been awarded the PVSM , AVSM , Sena Medal , and VSM for distinguished service.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat since September 2025 .
The Centre has appointed Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), succeeding General Anil Chauhan, whose tenure is set to conclude on 30 May. The announcement was made on 9 May by the Ministry of Defence, which described the officer as a highly decorated veteran with more than four decades of distinguished military service.
Alongside his role as the country's top military officer, Lt Gen Raja Subramani will also serve as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Military Affairs from the date he assumes charge, until further orders.
What the Ministry of Defence Said
In its official statement, the Ministry of Defence noted:
Point of View
Served in intelligence, and held a strategic advisory role at the National Security Council Secretariat. That last posting, in particular, signals continuity with the civilian-military interface that the CDS position was designed to strengthen. With India's security environment under sustained pressure on two fronts, the choice of a commander with deep operational and intelligence credentials over a purely ceremonial figure suggests the government is prioritising strategic coherence at the top. The real test will be whether Raja Subramani can accelerate the long-pending theatre command reforms that have stalled under his predecessors.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new Chief of Defence Staff of India?
Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani has been appointed as India's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He succeeds General Anil Chauhan, whose tenure concludes on 30 May.
When does Lt Gen Raja Subramani take charge as CDS?
Lt Gen Raja Subramani will assume charge as CDS upon General Anil Chauhan's tenure ending on 30 May. He will also concurrently serve as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Military Affairs from the same date.
What is Lt Gen Raja Subramani's military background?
Lt Gen Raja Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985 after training at the National Defence Academy. Over more than four decades, he commanded formations along the Western and Northern fronts, served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, GOC-in-C Central Command, and most recently as Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat since September 2025.
What awards has the new CDS received?
Lt Gen Raja Subramani has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM), and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his distinguished contributions to national security.
What academic qualifications does Lt Gen Raja Subramani hold?
He holds a Master of Arts degree from King's College London and an M.Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University, in addition to his professional military education at the Joint Services Command Staff College in Bracknell, United Kingdom, and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
