LT. Gen NS Raja Subramani appointed new Chief of Defence Staff; Vice Adm Krishna Swaminathan named Navy chief
Lt Gen Subramani is currently serving as military adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).
PTC News Desk: Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani has been appointed as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He will also serve as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs from the date he assumes office. He will succeed General Anil Chauhan, whose tenure as CDS ends on May 30 this year.
Lt Gen Subramani is currently serving as military adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He retired as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) on July 31 last year. During his 39-year career in the Indian Army, he also held the post of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Central Command. He has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his distinguished service.
Meanwhile, the government has appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of Naval Staff. He is currently serving as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The government described Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as an officer with “nearly four decades of distinguished service” and said he possesses extensive operational, strategic and personnel management experience across key appointments in the Indian Navy.
During his naval career, Vice Admiral Swaminathan has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). He will take over from Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who is set to retire on May 31, 2026. The announcements were made by the Ministry of Defence through separate social media posts.
Over the course of his service, he has commanded several important naval platforms and warships, including missile vessels Vidyut and Vinash, guided missile destroyer Mysore, aircraft carrier Vikramaditya and missile corvette Kulish. He has also held several senior operational and personnel roles, including Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command, Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, before taking charge of the Western Naval Command.