CDS SINCE INCEPTION TO THE EVOLVING PATTERN OF PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR THE NEW CDS AND THE PATH AHEAD

On 31 May 2026, General N S Raja Subramani took on the prominent roles of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs.

- MAJOR GENERAL J.K.S. PARIHAR

He succeeded General Anil Chauhan, who was the outgoing CDS since 30 September 2022 and served until 30 May 2026. Before this, General Vipin Rawat was India's first CDS, holding the position from 01 January 2020 until his tragic death in a helicopter crash on 8 December 2021. The role was vacant from 9 December 2021 to 29 September 2022.

The 1999 Indo-Pakistani conflict in Kargil underscored the need for a unified, responsive, and coordinated military command to improve operational effectiveness. In response, the Indian government formed the Kargil Review Committee (KRC) on 9 July 1999, just three days after the conflict, to assess and recommend improvements to the security framework. Led by K. Subrahmanyam, a former IAS officer and head of the National Security Council Advisory Board (NSCAB), the committee suggested substantial reforms aimed at fortifying the nation's security mechanisms.

On April 17, 2000, the government formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) to thoroughly review the national security system, especially focusing on the Kargil Review Committee's recommendations and developing specific implementation proposals.