Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan’s Tenure Extended Till May 2026

Appointed in September 2022, General Anil Chauhan is India's second CDS, succeeding the late General Bipin Rawat. His key responsibilities include fostering jointness among the armed forces, overseeing the creation of integrated theatre commands

New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday extended the tenure of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan till May 30, 2026. A statement from the defence ministry stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of service of General Anil Chauhan as CDS who shall also function as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs, upto 30th May 2026, or until further orders. General Chauhan, who was appointed as CDS on September 28, 2022, scheduled to retire later this month. Commissioned in the Indian Army’s 11 Gorkha Rifles in 1981, General Chauhan has had a distinguished and illustrious career with key command and staff appointments. It also includes General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Eastern Command and director general of military operations (DGMO).

Steering India’s Defence Strategy

After retirement, he served as a military advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat, working closely with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He became the second military official to hold this crucial position after the untimely and unfortunate demise of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash on December 8, 2021. It must be noted he was also the first retired three-star officer – Lieutenant General to be recalled for the four-star role of CDS. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA), he also attended the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and held important roles in military operations, strategy, and counterinsurgency efforts. As CDS, General Chauhan’s mandate includes fostering jointness among the armed forces – Army, Navy, and Air Force, overseeing the creation of integrated theatre commands, and driving modernization efforts.