General NS Raja Subramani on Sunday took over as India’s third Chief of Defense Staff after the retirement of General Anil Chauhan. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment as the armed forces advance theater, a long-awaited reform designed to integrate the military’s resources into future conflicts.
Before taking over as CDS, Subramani was the Military Advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat, headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He assumed this position on September 1, 2025, a month after his retirement as Deputy Commander of the Army.
“Atmanirbharta is the fundamental pillar of national security,” says Subramani.
Subramani said that transforming the armed forces and implementing organizational reforms to enhance cooperation, synergy and integration will be his primary focus. “Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) is a fundamental pillar of our national security. We will accelerate the development, induction and integration of indigenous weapons into our armed forces,” he said.
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Subramani will also serve as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, and Military Advisor to the Defense Minister. It is expected to accelerate the creation of joint services commands, the main goal of the theater campaign. These commands will integrate military elements, assets and personnel from the three services under a single commander-in-chief.
“We – Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Ministry of Defence, strategic institutions and all stakeholders – stand united as part of a whole-of-nation approach to strengthen India’s security. We are committed to implementing our Prime Minister’s vision of ‘JAI’ – cooperation, atmanirbharta and innovation,” he said. “Innovation in thought and action will drive the development of our capabilities. Greater collaboration between the military, industry, academia, startups and the research ecosystem will be the key to modernization.”
Chouhan, the outgoing Democratic Defense Minister, recently submitted a detailed proposal to strengthen the theater to the Defense Minister. The model includes establishing a China-centric Northern Theater Command in Lucknow, a Pakistan-centric Western Theater Command in Jaipur, and a Naval Theater Command in Thiruvananthapuram.
The government last year identified the establishment of theater commands for integrated application of force, operational efficiency, and optimal use of resources as a key area of focused intervention.
Under the appointment rules, the government can select a CDS from any serving chief, serving three-star officer, or any retired chief or three-star officer below 62 years of age. The government extended Chouhan’s term for eight months last September.
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Subramani CDS III of the Army
Subramani will be the third military chief in the army, after Generals Bipin Rawat and Chouhan. An alumnus of the National Defense Academy in Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, he was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on 14 December 1985.
He previously served as Commander of the Central Army in Lucknow. He is one year younger than Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Indian Air Force Chief Marshal AB Singh, who are retiring in June and October respectively.
Subramani attended the Joint Command and Staff College in Bracknell, UK, and the National Defense College in New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts from King’s College London, and a Master of Philosophy in Defense Studies from the University of Madras.
