The Government on Saturday appointed Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs. He will take charge after the present CDS, General Anil Chauhan, completes his tenure on May 30, 2026.
Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani, who is currently serving as Military Adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat since September 2025, brings with him over 40 years of rich experience across command, staff, and instructional appointments. He previously served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 2024 to July 2025 and as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Command from March 2023 to June 2024.
Commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985, the General Officer is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He 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.
In a distinguished career spanning multiple operational theatres, Lt Gen Subramani has commanded 16 Garhwal Rifles in counter-insurgency operations in Assam under Operation Rhino, 168 Infantry Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir, and 17 Mountain Division in the Central Sector. He has also commanded the prestigious 2 Corps, the Indian Army’s premier strike formation on the Western Front.
His key staff and instructional appointments include Brigade Major of a Mountain Brigade, Defence Attaché in Kazakhstan, Colonel General Staff (Operations) at Eastern Command, Deputy Director General of Military Intelligence, Chief Instructor (Army) at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and Chief of Staff of Northern Command. He has extensive operational experience on both the Western and Northern borders.
For his exceptional service, he has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM), and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).
The appointment of Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani comes at a crucial time as the Chief of Defence Staff position continues to play a pivotal role in the country’s higher defence organisation, tri-service integration, and military modernisation efforts.
