On Saturday, 9th May, the Central government has appointed Lieutenant General N S Raja Subramani (Retd) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He will also serve as the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Military Affairs. With this appointment, he will become the third officer to hold the post after General Bipin Rawat and General Anil Chauhan.
The current CDS, General Anil Chauhan, is scheduled to complete his tenure on 30th May, 2026. Before being appointed to the top post, Lieutenant General Raja Subramani had been serving as the Military Adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat since 1st September, 2025.
The Government has appointed Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd) as the Chief of Defence Staff, who shall also function as the Secretary to Government of India, Department of Military Affairs, with effect from the date of assumption of charge and… pic.twitter.com/EUTCGnjROM
— IANS (@ians_india) May 9, 2026
He has held several important positions during his military career. Earlier, he served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from 1st July, 2024 to 31st July,2025. Before that, he was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army’s Central Command from March 2023 to June 2024.
Krishna Swaminathan appointed as Chief of Naval Staff
Meanwhile, the government has also appointed Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. He is currently serving as the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai and will take over from Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi on 31st May.
His tenure is expected to continue till 31st December, 2028. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla, he joined the Indian Navy in 1987 and specialises in Communication and Electronic Warfare.
He has also undergone advanced military training at institutions including the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the United Kingdom, the College of Naval Warfare in Karanja, and the United States Naval War College in Rhode Island.
