Lt. Gen. N. S. Rajasubramanian Appointed as India’s New Army Chief

Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani has been appointed as India’s next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the appointment on Saturday (May 9), according to Indian media reports.

He will officially assume office on May 31, after the tenure of current CDS General Anil Chauhan ends on May 30.

Lt Gen Raja Subramani is currently serving as Military Adviser at India’s National Security Council Secretariat, a position he has held since September 2025.

Earlier, he served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 2024 to July 2025. He also commanded the Indian Army’s Central Command as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C).

He was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles regiment in December 1985. During his four-decade military career, he served in several key operational and conflict-prone regions across India. He also held important command, training and administrative responsibilities.

Raja Subramani studied at the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA). He later earned a master’s degree from King’s College London. He also attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the United Kingdom and the National Defence College in New Delhi.

For his military service, he received several honours, including the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), Sena Medal (SM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM).