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VIDEO EXPLAINER | 3 NOVEMBER 2026
In May and June 2026 India received three new military chiefs: a new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a new Chief of the Naval Staff and a new Chief of the Army Staff. Retired Lieutenant General N Raja Subramani became the third CDS, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan became the 27th Navy chief, and General Dhiraj Seth became the 31st Army chief. This explainer lists who replaced whom and when, and then explains how the CDS post is designed, a favourite area for CLAT GK and polity questions.
The new Chief of Defence Staff
The name of N Raja Subramani was announced on 9 May, and he took charge on 31 May as India’s third CDS. He replaced General Anil Chauhan, whose tenure ended on 30 May. As CDS he is also the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs. He was commissioned in 1985 into the Garhwal Rifles.
The new Navy chief
On the same day, 9 May, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was named the next Chief of Naval Staff. He took charge on 31 May as the 27th Navy chief, replacing Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi. Admiral Swaminathan is a communication and electronic warfare specialist and has commanded the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
The new Army chief
Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth was appointed the next Chief of Army Staff on 13 June. He took charge from General Upendra Dwivedi on 30 June and is the 31st Army chief. He is the first Armoured Corps officer to become Army chief since 1997. On 1 July he named his priorities VIJAY: Vigilance, Innovation and Transformation, Jointness and Integration, Atmanirbharta, and Yodha First.
How the CDS post works
The CDS advises the Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) on tri-service matters. The CDS does not command the three Service Chiefs. The CDS is also the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. It is a four-star rank post.
History of the post
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the CDS post on 15 August 2019, and the Cabinet approved it on 24 December 2019. General Bipin Rawat became the first CDS on 1 January 2020. General Anil Chauhan was the second CDS, serving from 30 September 2022.
Constitutional / Legal / Institutional framework
Institutional framework: the CDS is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and heads the Department of Military Affairs as its Secretary; the CDS advises the Raksha Mantri on tri-service matters but does not exercise command over the Service Chiefs. The post was announced on 15 August 2019 and approved on 24 December 2019.
CLAT angle
- GK: sequence of CDS holders: Rawat (1 January 2020), Chauhan (30 September 2022), Subramani (31 May 2026).
- GK: who replaced whom among the three chiefs, with dates in May and June 2026.
- Polity/GK: CDS roles, advises the Raksha Mantri, no command over Service Chiefs, Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs.
- GK: the VIJAY priorities of the new Army chief.
- Passage-based: an extract on civil-military relations and why a CDS post was created in 2019.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| 3rd CDS | N Raja Subramani, charge on 31 May 2026 |
| Predecessor CDS | General Anil Chauhan, tenure ended 30 May |
| 27th Navy chief | Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, 31 May |
| Predecessor Navy chief | Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi |
| 31st Army chief | General Dhiraj Seth, 30 June |
| Predecessor Army chief | General Upendra Dwivedi |
| CDS post announced | 15 August 2019 |
| CDS post approved | 24 December 2019 |
| First CDS | General Bipin Rawat, 1 January 2020 |
| CDS rank | Four-star |
Mnemonic / memory hook
“Raja, Krishna, Dhiraj: 31-31-30.” The CDS and Navy chief took charge on 31 May, the Army chief on 30 June.
Sources
Facts are taken from the video’s script, checked against reports from All India Radio (newsonair), IANS and other national outlets, as recorded in the episode fact-check.
Free in the CLAT Gurukul app
These notes (as a PDF lesson) and the 10-question CBT are in the app under Current Affairs → 4 Nov 2026. Get the app on Google Play or open app.clatgurukul.com.
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