The Central Government has announced two major appointments in India’s defence establishment, naming retired Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the new Chief of the Indian Navy. Raja Subramani will assume charge after the tenure of current CDS General Anil Chauhan ends on May 30, while Krishna Swaminathan will take over as Navy Chief following the retirement of Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi on May 31.
Along with serving as CDS, Raja Subramani will also function as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs under the Ministry of Defence. A National Defence Academy alumnus, he joined the Garhwal Rifles regiment in December 1985 and has served the Indian Army in various capacities for nearly four decades. He received advanced military training from the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the United Kingdom and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
During his distinguished military career, Raja Subramani served as Deputy Commander of the Rashtriya Rifles Sector in Jammu and Kashmir and led counter-insurgency operations during Operation Rhino in Assam. He also commanded the strategically significant Army 2 Corps along the western border and served as Defence Attaché at the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan. He later held key positions including Chief of Central Command and Vice Chief of the Army between July 2024 and July 2025.
The government also appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Indian Navy. Currently serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command in Mumbai, he joined the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, and is an expert in communication and electronic warfare. He is expected to remain in office until December 31, 2028.
During his naval career, Krishna Swaminathan commanded several major warships, including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, guided missile destroyer INS Mysore and missile vessels INS Vidyut, Vinash and INS Kulish. He also played a significant role in establishing a key naval safety team aimed at improving operational safety standards. Both Raja Subramani and Krishna Swaminathan have received several prestigious military honours for their distinguished service to the nation.