General NS Raja Subramani on Sunday formally took over as India’s new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), stepping into the country’s top military role at a time when the armed forces are pushing ahead with long-delayed structural integration reforms.He succeeds Gen Anil Chauhan, who completed his tenure and demitted office on Saturday after serving as the senior-most military officer in the country.Gen Subramani, who has served in several key operational and strategic roles over a four-decade-long career, is widely regarded for his expertise on China and Pakistan. Prior to taking charge as CDS, he was serving as Military Advisor at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He had retired as Vice Chief of the Army Staff on July 31 last year.In his new role, Gen Subramani will be responsible for driving the theaterisation plan, which aims to create integrated theatre commands to improve coordination and jointness among the Army, Navy and Air Force.Over the course of his service, he has held a range of command, staff and instructional appointments across diverse operational environments, reflecting extensive experience in both field leadership and higher defence planning.His most recent assignments include serving as Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025, and earlier as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Command from March 2023 to June 2024.