N. S. Raja Subramani

General
N. S. Raja Subramani
PVSM AVSM SM VSM
Official portrait, 2026
3rd Chief of Defence Staff
Incumbent
Assumed office
31 May 2026
PresidentDroupadi Murmu
Minister of DefenceRajnath Singh
Preceded byAnil Chauhan
59th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office
31 May 2026
PresidentDroupadi Murmu
Minister of DefenceRajnath Singh
Preceded byAnil Chauhan
47th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
In office
1 July 2024 – 31 July 2025
PresidentDroupadi Murmu
Chief of Army StaffUpendra Dwivedi
Preceded byUpendra Dwivedi
Succeeded byPushpendra Pal Singh
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Central Command
In office
1 March 2023 – 30 June 2024
Chief of Army StaffManoj Pande
Preceded byYogendra Dimri
Succeeded byAnindya Sengupta
Personal details
Born (1965-07-21) 21 July 1965
SpouseMahalakshmi Subramani[1]
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Army
Years of service
14 December 1985 – 31 July 2025
31 May 2026 – Present (as CDS)
Rank General
Unit 8 Garhwal Rifles
Commands
Service numberIC-43245K[2]
Awards

General N. S. Raja Subramani, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (born 21 July 1965) is a four-star general of the Indian Army. He currently serves as the 3rd Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces and as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs.[3][4] He previously served as the Military Adviser to National Security Council Secretariat[5] prior to which he served as the 47th Vice Chief of the Army Staff.[6] He earlier served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command,[7]as the Chief of Staff of the Northern Command[8] and as General Officer Commanding II corps.[9] He also served as General Officer Commanding Uttar Bharat Area.

General Raja Subramani receiving a guard of honour on assuming charge as the Chief of Defence Staff
Gen Raja Subramani as VCOAS

Early life and education

The general officer is an alumnus of the 67th course of the National Defence Academy and the 77th course of the Indian Military Academy.[10] The General Officer also attended the Joint Services Command Staff College, Bracknell (UK) and National Defence College, New Delhi. He later studied at King's College London and earned Master of Arts Degree from University of London and an M Phil in Defence Studies from University of Madras.[3]

Military career

He was commissioned into the 8th battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on 14 December 1985. In a career spanning over four decades, he has tenanted various command, staff & instructional appointments. He served as a Divisional officer at his alma-mater, the National Defence Academy. He then attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Bracknell, United Kingdom. After completing the course, he returned to India and was appointed Brigade major of a mountain brigade[10] and later commanded the 16th battalion of the Garhwal Rifles in Assam. The battalion was deployed in a counter-insurgency role as part of Operation Rhino. He was subsequently appointed as the Defence attaché at the Embassy of India in Astana, Kazakhstan. In the rank of Colonel, he also served as the Assistant Military Secretary in the MS branch at Army headquarters, as the Colonel General Staff (Operations) at Headquarters Eastern Command and later as the Deputy Commander of a Rashtriya Rifles sector in Jammu and Kashmir.[10]

On promotion to the rank of Brigadier, he commanded the 168 Infantry Brigade in Samba. He was then selected to attend the National Defence College in New Delhi, as part of the 55th course. After the course, he took charge as Deputy Director General Military Intelligence (DDGMI) at Army HQ. He subsequently served as the Brigadier General Staff (Operations) at Eastern Command.[10]

General officer

The general officer was promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed General Officer Commanding 17th Mountain Division in Sikkim.[11] After completing his tenure, he moved to the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington as the Chief Instructor (Army).[12] After getting promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General on 3 February 2020, he was appointed General Officer Commanding, Uttar Bharat Area.[13] On 12 February 2021, Lieutenant General Raja Subramani took over as the General Officer Commanding II Corps succeeding Lieutenant General Surinder Singh Mahal.[9] After a year-long tenure, he moved to the Northern Command in Udhampur as the Chief of Staff taking over on 10 May 2022.[8]

On 1 March 2023, Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani took over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command succeeding Lieutenant General Yogendra Dimri who superannuated on 28 February 2023.[10]

On 1 July 2024, Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani took over as the 47th Vice Chief of the Army Staff.[6] He assumed the post from General Upendra Dwivedi upon his elevation as the Chief of Army Staff.[14] Following his retirement from active military service, the Government of India appointed him as the Military Adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) assuming charge on 1 September 2025.[5]

Chief of the Defence Staff

On 9 May 2026, the Government of India appointed Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani as the next Chief of Defence Staff marking his return to active military service.[3] On 31 May 2026, General Raja Subramani took over as the 3rd Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary, Department of Military Affairs succeeding General Anil Chauhan, who superannuated after more than four decades of service.[4]

Awards and decorations

During his career, the general officer has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024,[15] the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020,[16] the Sena Medal in 2005[17][18] and the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015.[19]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Sena Medal Vishisht Seva Medal
Special Service Medal Siachen Glacier Medal Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Medal Videsh Seva Medal 75th Independence Anniversary Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of rank

InsigniaRankComponentDate of rank
Second LieutenantIndian Army14 December 1985
LieutenantIndian Army14 December 1987[20]
CaptainIndian Army14 December 1990[21]
MajorIndian Army14 December 1996[22]
Lieutenant ColonelIndian Army16 December 2004[23]
ColonelIndian Army15 August 2006[24]
BrigadierIndian Army27 April 2012 (acting)
13 August 2012 (substantive, with seniority from 28 October 2010)[25]
Major GeneralIndian Army2 January 2018 (seniority from 1 June 2015)[26]
Lieutenant GeneralIndian Army3 February 2020[27]
General (CDS) Indian Armed Forces 31 May 2026[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Chief of Defence Staff General N S Raja Subramani along with his wife Smt. Mahalakshmi Subramani called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan". X (formerly twitter). 1 June 2026.
  2. ↑ https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1999669
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) appointed as Chief of Defence Staff". pib.gov.in. 9 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 "General NS Raja Subramani assumes charge as Chief of Defence Staff & Secretary, Department of Military Affairs". pib.gov.in. 31 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Lt Gen N. S. Raja Subramani (Retd) Appointed as Military Advisor to NSCS". 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  6. 1 2 "LIEUTENANT GENERAL NS RAJA SUBRAMANI, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM TAKES OVER AS VICE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF". pib.gov.in. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  7. ↑ "Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani takes charge as GOC-in-C of Central Command". The Times of India. 2 March 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani, AVSM, SM, VSM assumed the appointment of Chief Of Staff of Northern Command and laid Wreath at Dhruva War Memorial to pay homage to the Bravehearts". X (formerly Twitter). 10 May 2022.
  9. 1 2 Tribune, The (13 February 2021). "Lt Gen Subramani takes charge of Kharga Corps". The Tribune. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Key appointments made in the Indian Army, here is all you want to know". theprint.in. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Major General NS Raja Subramani, SM, VSM GOC calls on Governor". Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  12. ↑ "GSIS Celebrated its 43rd Founder's Day: A Platform for Intellectualism and Harmonious Eclecticism" (PDF). gsis.ac.in. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Post, Garhwal. "GOC-in-C Lt General IS Ghuman on Doon visit | Garhwal Post". garhwapost.in. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani to be next Vice Chief of Army Staff". The Economic Times. 20 June 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "75th Republic Day: President approves Gallantry and distinguished awards to Army" (PDF). pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "President approves 409 Gallantry and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day (2020)". PIB India.
  17. ↑ "LIST OF PERSONNEL RECOMMENDED FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS ON REPUBLIC DAY-2005". indianarmy.nic.in. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Part 1 Section 1: The Gazette of India" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. 9 April 2005. p. 57. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Ashok Chakra Awarded to NK Neeraj Kumar Singh of 13 Rajputana Rifles (Posthumous) 374 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced". archive.pib.gov.in. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 22 July 1989. p. 28.
  21. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 1 February 1992. p. 203.
  22. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 29 March 1997. p. 502.
  23. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 16 July 2005. p. 1125.
  24. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 August 2009. p. 1383.
  25. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 20 June 2015. p. 1623.
  26. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 December 2021. p. 2961.
  27. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 16 April 2022. p. 736.
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