Defence
Centre Extends Tenure Of CDS General Anil Chauhan As Military Reforms Enter Crucial Phase
CDS General Anil Chauhan
The Modi government has extended the tenure of India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan till 30 May next year.
The move signals Centre's confidence in him to implement key military reforms underway in the defence ministry, including theaterisation.
"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has, on 24th September 2025, approved the extension of service of General Anil Chauhan as Chief of Defence Staff (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 was appointed as CDS on 28th September 2022," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Wednesday (24 September).
General Chauhan was commissioned in the Indian Army in 1981 and has had a distinguished and illustrious career with key command and staff appointments.
The extension comes at a crucial time, as the three services remain divided over theaterisation—a long-awaited reform aimed at optimising military resources for future wars.
On 15 September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the defence ministry to take swift, concrete steps to strengthen jointness among the armed forces to address the challenges of tomorrow’s battlefield, according to a Hindustan Times report.
Chauhan, who served as the military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) before becoming CDS in 2022, holds multiple responsibilities in his current role.
As CDS, he is the permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the single-point military adviser to the defence minister.
At the tri-services Ran Samwad conclave in Mhow in August, Chauhan acknowledged that differences over theaterisation exist among the services but emphasised that alternative views were being considered constructively.
He expressed confidence that disagreements would be resolved.
