Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (retd), a former Eastern Army Commander and Director General of Military Operations, was appointed as India’s new Chief of Defence Staff, more than nine months after the post fell vacant following the death of Gen Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash.

A decorated Army officer, 61-year-old Chauhan will also function as secretary in the Department of Military Affairs with effect from the date of his assumption of charge and until further orders.

The age limit for the CDS is 65 years

• On January 1, 2020, Gen Rawat took charge as India’s first CDS with a mandate to bring convergence in the functioning of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and bolster the country’s overall military prowess.

• The post of CDS has been lying vacant since the death of Gen Rawat along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 others in a helicopter crash on December 8, 2021.

• In June, the government amended rules paving the way for appointment of any serving or retired Lt General, Air Marshal and Vice Admiral under the age of 62 to the post of CDS.

• While the age-limit for the three Service chiefs is 62 years of age or three years of service, whichever is earlier, the age limit for the CDS is 65 years of age with no fixed tenure defined.

Who is Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (retd)?

• Born on May 18, 1961, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981. 

• In a career spanning over nearly 40 years, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (retd) held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast India.

• He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. 

• Lt Gen Chauhan retired from the service in May last year when he was serving as the Eastern Army Commander. 

• As the Eastern Army Commander, he played a significant role in bolstering India’s overall combat readiness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim sectors.

• In the rank of Maj General, the officer had commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramulla sector in the Northern Command. 

• Later as Lt General, he commanded a corps in the Northeast and subsequently went to become the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command from September 2019 and held the charge until his retirement from the service in May 2021.

• In addition to these command appointments, the officer also tenanted important staff appointments including the charge of Director General of Military Operations (DGMO). Earlier, the officer had also served on a United Nations mission to Angola. 

• He was the DGMO of the Army during the Balakot air strikes in 2019.

• After his retirement as the eastern Army Commander last year, he has been serving as the military adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat headed by NSA Ajit Doval.

• Lt Gen Chauhan (retd) will assume the rank of the four-star General once he takes charge as India's second Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). 

• As CDS, Lt Gen Chauhan (retd) will face the challenge of implementing the government’s ambitious plan to ensure tri-Services synergy through setting up of theatre commands.

• For his distinguished and illustrious service in the Army, Lt General Anil Chauhan (retd) was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.

The duties and functions of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) include:

• To facilitate the restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through the establishment of theatre commands.

• To head the Department of Military Affairs in the ministry of defence and function as its secretary.

• To act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all tri-Service matters.

• To function as the permanent chairman of the chiefs of staff committee.

• To administer the tri-Service organisations/agencies/commands.

• To be a member of Defence Acquisition Council chaired by the defence minister.

• To function as the military adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority.

• To bring about jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance, etc of the three Services.

• To ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure and rationalise it through jointness among the Services.

• To implement Five-Year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan and two-year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans, as a follow up of Integrated Capability Development Plan.

• To assign inter-services prioritisation to capital acquisition proposals based on the anticipated budget.

• To bring about reforms in the functioning of three Services with the aim to augment combat capabilities of the Armed Forces by reducing wasteful expenditure.

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