New Delhi, May 31 : General NS Raja Subramani on Sunday assumed charge as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), becoming the third officer to hold the country’s highest military position. He succeeds General Anil Chauhan, who demitted office on May 30 upon completion of his tenure.
With the assumption of charge, General Subramani has also taken over as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under the Ministry of Defence.
An officer with an illustrious military career spanning over four decades, General Subramani has held several key appointments in the Indian Army and the national security establishment. Before being appointed CDS, he served as Military Adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He has also served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Central Command.
Soon after taking charge, the new CDS highlighted the importance of military modernisation, technological advancement and greater synergy among the armed forces. He stressed the need for innovation, joint operational preparedness and stronger inter-service cooperation to effectively address evolving security challenges.
General Subramani assumes office at a time when the armed forces are undergoing major structural reforms aimed at enhancing jointness and integration among the Army, Navy and Air Force. Advancing theatre command reforms, strengthening tri-services coordination and accelerating defence modernisation are expected to be among his key priorities.
The Centre had earlier announced his appointment, stating that he would take over the post following the completion of General Anil Chauhan’s tenure.
Defence observers believe that under General Subramani’s leadership, ongoing efforts towards integrated military planning, operational coordination and self-reliance in the defence sector are likely to gain further momentum in the coming years.