Changes In Indian Defence Leadership
INDIA has made a change in its defence leadership with the appointment of a new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).
Former Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani was appointed as the CDS, 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 until further orders. The present CDS General Anil Chauhan will complete his tenure on May 30, 2026.
In his career spanning over 40 years, NS Raja Subramani served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles and tenanted a host of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. He has served as the Deputy Director General of Military Intelligence (DDGMI) at Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Staff (Operations) in the Eastern Command, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command before ascending to the position of 47th Vice Chief of the Army Staff. Following his retirement from active military service, he was appointed as the Military Advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) before he takes office as CDS.
Over at the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan is to take over as CNS, replacing Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi. VAdm Swaminathan has held several key operational, staff and training appointments in his naval career including the Command of missile vessels INS Vidyut and Vinash; the missile corvette INS Kulish; the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
He assumed charge as the 34th Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command last July, moving up from Vice Chief of the Naval Staff at Naval Headquarters.
His other assigments and commands include Chief Staff Officer (Training) at Headquarters, Southern Naval Command, Flag Officer Sea Training, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group and Advisor, Offshore Security and Defence to the Government of India, and Controller of Personnel Services and Chief of Personnel at NHQ.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:PIB)