General NS Raja Subramani Assumes Charge as Chief of Defence Staff, Receives Ceremonial Guard of Honour

General NS Raja Subramani Assumes Office as India's Chief of Defence Staff

New Delhi, May 31 - General NS Raja Subramani formally assumed office as India's top military officer on Sunday, marking the start of his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The ceremony took place at the South Block lawns in New Delhi, where General Subramani was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour.

General Subramani succeeds General Anil Chauhan, whose tenure as CDS concluded on May 30. The newly appointed CDS has a long and distinguished military career spanning over four decades. He has held various key operational, staff, and instructional appointments, including commanding formations in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and along sensitive border sectors.

As CDS, General Subramani has reaffirmed the armed forces' commitment to strengthening national security through a "whole-of-nation" approach. He has prioritized organisational reforms aimed at enhancing jointness, synergy, and integration among the three services. Defence self-reliance is also a key focus area, with efforts to be accelerated to develop, induct, and integrate indigenous weapon systems across the armed forces.

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The government had announced General Subramani's appointment as the next CDS on May 9. In addition to leading the military, he will serve as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, under the Ministry of Defence. General Subramani will be responsible for advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "JAI" - Jointness, Atmanirbharta, and Innovation.

Prior to taking over as CDS, General Subramani served as Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat from September 2025. He was also Vice Chief of the Army Staff between July 2024 and July 2025 and headed the Army's Central Command from March 2023 to June 2024.

General Subramani is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985. He has also attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the UK and the National Defence College in New Delhi. He holds a Master's degree from King's College London and an MPhil in Defence Studies from Madras University.

For his distinguished service, General Subramani has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal.

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