Lt Gen Anil Chauhan appointed as new CDS

New Delhi: Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (Retd) was on Wednesday appointed as the new Chief of Defence Staff, more than nine months after the post fell vacant following the death of Gen Bipin Rawat.

The Defence ministry issued a statement announcing the appointment of Lt Gen Chauhan. "The Government has decided to appoint Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (Retired) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who shall also function as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs with effect from the date of his assumption of charge and until further orders," it said.

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