On May 31, 2026, General NS Raja Subramani officially took over as the third Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs. After honoring the nation’s fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial and receiving a Tri-Service Guard of Honour, the General outlined his vision for the armed forces. He emphasized achieving self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) through indigenous weapons integration, enhancing jointness across the services, and fostering innovation.
Commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in 1985, General Subramani brings over 40 years of distinguished service to the role, having previously served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff and Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat.
He acknowledged the exemplary leadership and contribution of his predecessors and pledged to build upon their achievements. Expressing gratitude to the country for the trust reposed in the Defence Forces, General NS Raja Subramani asserted that they would work in unison with all stakeholders as part of the Whole-of-Nation approach to further strengthen national security. He emphasised that he would work towards enhancing jointness, integration and synergy in the Defence Forces and focus on accelerated development, induction and integration of indigenous weapons to achieve Aatmanirbharta.
The CDS called for innovation in thought & action and greater collaboration among all stakeholders to drive capability development and modernisation. He complimented the members of the Defence Forces on their professionalism & operational readiness and reiterated his commitment to their training, while ensuring welfare of veterans and Veer Naris. He urged all ranks to embrace change, uphold the military ethos and relentlessly strive towards achieving excellence in all spheres.
A highly decorated officer with over four decades of service, General Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985. His distinguished career includes a number of key Command and Staff appointments, including General Officer Commanding, 2 Corps, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command; and the Vice Chief of the Army Staff. Prior to assuming the appointment of CDS, he served as Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat.
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