General NS Raja Subramani took charge as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Sunday while Admiral Krishna Swaminathan assumed office as the new Navy Chief, marking a change at the top of the military hierarchy.

The Army is expected to get a new Chief as General Upendra Dwivedi is set to superannuate on June 30. General Subramani succeeds General Anil Chauhan, who completed his tenure as the country’s senior-most military officer on Saturday. Admiral Swaminathan succeeds Admiral DK Tripathi, who superannuated today.

The appointment of the new CDS comes weeks after outgoing CDS General Chauhan, submitted a formal proposal to the Ministry of Defence on having geographically defined areas designated as ‘theatre commands’ – with a military commander heading it and controlling all war-fighting assets like planes, copter, guns, tanks, equipment and manpower.

General Subramani faces the task of converting the theatre command blueprint into an operational reality and ensuring it shortens the decision-making loop for a simultaneous two-front scenario with Pakistan and China.

Soon after taking charge, General Subramani laid down his targets saying “strengthening the transformation of the armed forces and carrying out organisational reforms to improve tri-services integration and coordination would be among his top priorities”.

The new CDS said he aimed to accelerate the development, induction and integration of indigenous weapons in the armed forces.

Meanwhile, Admiral Swaminathan said: “It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation’s security and economic interests”.

The Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable, and uncertain, he added.

General Subramani is the third Army officer to serve as CDS, after General Bipin Rawat and General Chauhan.

A graduate of the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, he was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985.

General Subramani’s tenure is three years and it overlaps with the recent urgency in efforts by India-China to work out a solution for their disputed boundary. The military will be advising the government on contours of the boundary along the Himalayas, if that is to be demarcated.

He is one-year junior to Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who are due to retire in June and October, respectively. But with his appointment to four-star rank, he is ‘first among equals’ vis-a-vis the three service chiefs.

Admiral Swaminathan is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, United Kingdom, the College of Naval Warfare in Karanja, and the US Naval War College in Rhode Island.

His tenure starts as India moves towards finalising a deal to build next-generation conventional submarines in collaboration with Germany.

He succeeds Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who retired from service

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan accorded a Guard of Honour during a ceremony marking his assumption of charge as India’s new Chief of the Naval Staff, in New Delhi, Sunday, May 31, 2026. PTI

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Sunday assumed charge as India’s new chief of the Naval Staff amid a fast-evolving regional maritime security scenario.

He succeeds Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who retired from service. Admiral Swaminathan was serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command before taking charge of the top post.

The new Navy chief, speaking to reporters, described the regional security environment as “challenging, complex, and unpredictable” and asserted that maintaining peak operational readiness will be his highest priority.

“The Indian Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable and uncertain,” he told reporters.

“It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Indian Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation’s security and economic interests,” he said.

Admiral Swaminathan said the Indian Navy is well set on a course of capability enhancement and modernisation.

“It shall be my endeavour to sustain the growth momentum of the Navy, consolidate all ongoing programs, scale up where required, and sharpen our operational capabilities through the induction of niche and emerging technologies,” he said.

“I will devote every single day of my life to making the Navy a better, stronger, sharper, and more impactful service so that it can serve the interests of national security, national development, and national economic prosperity,” he added.

Admiral Swaminathan said the Navy is deeply committed to jointness, ‘Atmanirbharata’ and indigenisation. He also praised Admiral Tripathi describing him as one of the “finest” military professionals globally.

Admiral Swaminathan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987 and is a specialist in communication and electronic Warfare.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the US Naval War College, Newport.

The Army has started disciplinary proceedings against a Major General and a number of other officers for allegedly accepting bribes to select officer candidates for the armed forces at the Service Selection Centre, Kapurthala.

Section 123 of the Army Act was invoked against the Major General, who headed the centre, on Sunday as it was his last day of service, to enable the Army to conduct court-martial proceedings against him, sources said.

The section empowers the Army to recall retired or discharged personnel accused of committing an offence while serving in the military so that proceedings under the Act can be conducted against them.

The Major General was attached to Headquarters Delhi Area earlier this month, while about 20 other officers, some of whom have retired, have been attached to different formations.

Following an initial probe by Military Intelligence into certain officers allegedly accepting illegal gratification, ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh, to select candidates, the Additional Directorate General of Discipline and Vigilance at Army Headquarters approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2021 for a detailed investigation into the scam.

The CBI conducted searches at 30 locations across India in connection with the case, including Delhi, Kapurthala, Bathinda, Kaithal, Palwal, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, Guwahati and Jorhat. An FIR filed by the CBI named 23 individuals, including Army officers.

The scam allegedly revolved around clearing candidates who had been temporarily rejected on medical grounds by fraudulently passing them through the review medical board. One of the jawans involved allegedly compiled a list of such rejected candidates who could then be approached.

A “high-caliber” bomb was successfully tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Sunday at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Ramgarh near Chandigarh.

The test was conducted amid comprehensive security arrangements and strict adherence to established safety protocols, DRDO officials said. Explosive trials have been carried out by TBRL several times in the past. The explosion sound was heard several kilometers away.

Senior Air Force officers were also present, implying that the tested bomb was meant to comprise the warhead for IAF missiles or other air-dropped munitions.

In view of the test, the Panchkula Administration had already issued a high alert and urged residents of nearby villages and habitats to remain indoors on Sunday morning.

As part of the security protocol, special surveillance was maintained in the surrounding areas. TBRL had cautioned that bomb fragments could fly up to a height of 1.5 km and spread over a radius of two km from the detonation site.

A DRDO establishment under its armaments cluster, TBRL is engaged in the ballistics evaluation of warheads and projectiles. It conducts research in the fields of high explosives, detonators, shock waves and assessing the terminal effects of ammunition, and is also involved in evolving data and design parameters for new armaments.

TBRL has been closely involved in India’s nuclear weapons development and missile programmes and is also associated with the Indian Space Research Organisation, evaluating special parachutes and other equipment for the upcoming Gaganyaan manned space mission.

Apart from evaluation and research, TBRL has developed several products such as a baffle range for small arms firing training, hand grenade, liquid armour and non-lethal bullets, obstacle busting devices and specialised ammunition storage facilities. Some of its products and technologies are also used by the para-military forces and the police, as well as civilian agencies.

The IAF Rafale will be acquired under a ‘Make in India’ scheme with French plane maker Dassault partnering with an Indian firm

As India is on verge of sending out a formal letter of request (LoR) to France for procuring 114 more Rafale jets, the Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh will be in France on an official visit starting June 1 and is scheduled to visit Dassault and missile maker MBDA.

While Dassault makes the Rafale jets, missiles of the MBDA are used on several IAF platforms. An LoR is a formal government-to-government communication used to initiate defence procurement under an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) framework.

The IAF Rafale will be acquired under a ‘Make in India’ scheme with French plane maker Dassault partnering with an Indian firm.

For the deal, India has laid down a set of non -negotiable clauses including indigenous weapons and data links.

Engine, airframe and avionics part of transfer of technology. The integration of Indian weapons, missiles and ammunition on all the 114 jets is also part of the deal.

The plane maker is expected to provide secure data links to allow digital integration of the jets with Indian radars and sensors sending imagery to ground-based controllers.

In the past few year’s avionics, weapons and missiles on the Rafale have been upgraded since IAF ordered its fleet of 36 in 2015. The IAF flies what is the ‘F3R’ version of the plane, same as the French Air Force. Dassault Aviation has introduced the ‘F-4’ version – an upgrade. India is seeking a mix of the ‘F-4’ version and upcoming ‘F-5’ version.

Also the plane maker will be providing transfer of technology (ToT) for making air frames. Its suppliers like engine maker Safran and avionics provider Thales will be part of the ToT. The indigenous content is expected to be between 55 % and 60 % once ToT for air frames, engines and avionics is done.

The upgrade includes next generation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for longer detection range and improved resilience to electronic warfare. It is to have a better self-protection system to detect and counter new and emerging threats. Capabilities would include better long-range detection and identification of enemy threats backed by missiles with longer ranges. It is to mated with better satellite links and even have artificial intelligence algorithms to assist the pilot with improved situational awareness and decision-making.

The Rafale fighter jets, as part of IAF’s multi-pronged plan to add more number of jets. The IAF already flies 36 Rafale jets, while the Navy has ordered 26 of the marine variant of the same jet. Increasing numbers would reduce maintenance costs.

A Rafale flight training and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility is operational at the IAF base in Ambala. The IAF has the capacity – the space, spares, tooling and trained manpower — to immediately take-in two squadrons (some 36-38 planes).

Strife-torn Manipur caught in the vortex of violence between the Kukis and Meities, is set to house one of the six tribal museums planned by the Centre, as a tribute to the freedom fighters from the community.

The upcoming museum will be dedicated to Naga freedom fighter Rani Gaidinliu in the north-eastern state where tribal Kukis are in clash with the majority Meiteis.

According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, all the remaining six museums are expected to near completion in the next two years.

Talking to The Tribune, Deepali Masirkar, Director, Tribal Affairs, said the initiative traces its origin to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address in 2016 when he observed that while India’s freedom struggle is remembered through a few well-known figures, the valiant role of tribal communities has not received the due recognition.

“The Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museum in Manipur is one of the 11 museums announced by the ministry in co-ordination with state governments. This museum will be built at Luangkao village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district. It is widely celebrated as the birthplace and ancestral home of the revered Naga spiritual and political freedom fighter, Rani Gaidinliu,” she said.

The senior official said the freedom fighter led the Zeliangrong movement against British colonial rule after the martyrdom of her mentor, Haipou Jadonang.

“Imprisoned for 14 years, Rani Gaidinliu became a symbol of courage, cultural pride, and spiritual resistance. Post-Independence, she was honoured with several national awards, including the Padma Bhushan,” she added.

The foundation stone for the Rs 15 crore-worth museum was laid on November 22, 2021 by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Masirkar said the upcoming museum will showcase Rani Gaidinliu’s life, leadership and contribution to India’s freedom movement.

“It will also highlight the collective struggles of the tribal communities of Northeast India. By preserving oral traditions, artefacts, and historical narratives, the museum aims to connect younger generations with the rich legacy of tribal resistance and self-determination,” she added.

A fresh outbreak of ethnic conflict is rocking the country’s remotest eastern state of Manipur. Deadly ambushes, abductions and protest marches are cropping up in a land where such violence had already become routine.

At this point of juncture, are the people of Manipur keen on having such a repository?

“Manipuris are very excited about the project. Yes, the state is going through one of its most turbulent phases but Rani Gaidinliu is a state hero and revered by tribals and non-tribals. Besides, every community wants to project their leader. The Ministry believes that the Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in the strife-torn state will quench frayed tempers, and give the people something to be proud of. It can also open many economic and tourist avenues in the future,” Masirkar added.

Apart from Manipur, the Ministry has nearly completed the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Mizoram. It is modelled on Ropuiliani, the chieftainess of Denlung village, who led her people against British annexation in the late 19^th century, asserting the freedom and sovereignty of the Mizo hills.

Captured along with her son in 1894, Ropuiliani was imprisoned and died in custody in Rangoon. Remembered as the “Rani of the Mizos”, she symbolises courage, resilience and the spirit of tribal self-determination.

“The museum at Kelsih village in Mizoram is being established to honour her legacy and the broader tribal resistance movement of Mizoram. The museum is nearly complete and will be inaugurated in a couple of months,” the director said.

The Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Andhra Pradesh honouring the Alluri Sitarama Raju; Ramji Gond Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Hyderabad; museum in Kerala’s Wayanad; Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum, Ponda in Goa; and National Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Rajpipla, Narmada in Gujarat close to the Statue of Unity, are some of the other tribal museums which are expected to be completed within the next two years.

As I understand now, it was among the far-sighted diplomatic outreaches by Prime Minister Nehru

Lt Gen Baljit Singh Retd

Ever since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, my memory has remained fixated upon an early morning of mid-February 1956. My batchmates and I, in the final term at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, were practising for the Passing Out Parade (POP) when we were brought to an abrupt halt. The be-medalled Adjutant of the Academy, mounted on his White Charger, announced that Their Majesties, the Shah of Iran and Queen Soraya, would shortly be on a State Visit to India. After a deliberate pause, he further stated that the Academy would honour them with a Ceremonial Parade (an abridged version of the POP) which we would practice to perfection over the days ahead. Then, in menacing tones (as is the purport of the entire tribe of Adjutants), he warned that should there be a single mis-step by any one of us, the “wrath of hell” would descend upon the entire lot!

Maintaining his put-on fearful visage, the Adjutant pirouetted the White Charger on its hind legs and galloped off the Parade Ground. We were left agog, pondering for a while on this brouhaha — to parade for an Oriental King and Queen when we had just broken free from subjugations of the Continental British King and Queen? However, the very next moment, our spirits lifted sky high with the youth’s fancy that we would have the good fortune to at least catch a glimpse, maybe even a handshake, of Queen Soraya, one among the five most beautiful women of the world, in a class of our own Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur!

As I understand now, that Ceremonial Parade was among the several deliberate and far-sighted diplomatic outreaches by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Prime Minister, who had authored ‘The Discovery of India’ among other accomplishments, would surely have known about the chance discovery of a petroleum source in the Brahmaputra valley at Digboi (Assam) around 1790s, later upgraded as an oil refinery in 1901, the first and only in Asia then! And also that it was a mere statistic, with a maximum annual output of just 1 tonne of crude, woefully insufficient for India, newly born as a sovereign nation “at the stroke of the midnight hour”.

Propelled by those compelling national energy security interests, the visit was spread over 28 days, the longest in the annals of world diplomacy because Iran at that time had an annual commercial output of 1-1.3 million barrels per day peaking to 6 million by 1974!

For a start, Their Majesties were received at the Delhi airport itself by President Dr Rajendra Prasad and Prime Minister Nehru and then feted for four days in the colonial opulence of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Similar regal courtesies at potentate levels were again orchestrated through the Nawab of Hyderabad. By the 1960s, India had an assured supply chain of petroleum and crude, on the most favourable trade terms in Indian currency, and subsequently an assured export market for India’s wheat, rice, tea, etc.

On our part, we Gentleman Cadets had spared no effort in marching past the Ceremonial Saluting dais to perfection in that once-in-a-lifetime kind of duty. As rehearsed, we of the senior batch alone had gathered in groups of 10 to 15 on the adjoining vast lawn a few paces away when, to our sorrow, we learnt that Queen Soraya was indisposed with a touch of food infection, shattering our dreams of seeing her in person. Nevertheless, we were charmed by the persona of the handsome Shah Reza Pahlavi, who moved from group to group with practised poise, making polite conversation. I happened to be in the group which also had the senior civilian instructor who taught military history and comfortably engaged the Shah. The Commandant, Brig Apji Randheer Singh, looked for a suitable pause in conversation to wean the Shah to the next group.

Now, coming back to 1941, when Hitler had invaded Russia, Churchill in collusion with Stalin attacked Persia with Indian army’s 10 Infantry Division as the spearhead, luckily leading to capitulation without a shot fired. The ruling Shah was exiled and his 21-year-old son, Reza Pahlavi, made the puppet Head of State. Learning from that humiliation, he first set about creating formidable armed forces, equipped with the most lethal weaponry purchased almost entirely from USA, and then nationalised the UK-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. The subsequent two decades of oil boom had filled the coffers of Iran with unlimited wealth and the Shah wisely ploughed it to modernise Iran and uplift its population in all walks of life.

However, the prevalence of hubris, coupled with counsels of sycophants, eventually misled the Shah to organise a Grand Durbar in 1971, culminating in Pahlavi re-crowning himself with the new fabulous creation by Cartier of Paris.

The seeds of a bloody revolt, led by the Paris-exiled cleric Ruhollah Khomeini, sprouted rapidly, reaching its zenith around the mid-1970s, which brought my fleeting association of the Ceremonial Parade for the Shah at IMA eventually to full circle at Tehran! By the sleight of kismet, I was on an assignment at the Imperial Iranian Command and General Staff College, Tehran, and so happened to exchange another salute in October 1978, by the then Shahenshah. Following two months of bloodbath, the Shah and family were flown out to USA on January 16, 1979.

“Those who live by the Sword, shall perish by the Sword”— Anonymous

LT GEN B S DHALIWAL FORMER E-IN-C LEFT FOR HEAVELY ABODE ON 30 MAY 2026

Punjabi University staffer’s daughter commissioned as Sub Lieutenant in Indian Navy

Op Sindoor strategist Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar takes over as Navy Vice Chief

Stress exists even at peace stations: Allahabad High Court upholds disability pension to Army jawan

Kerala High Court Upholds Disability Pension For Army Veteran Discharged Due To Schizophrenia, Faults Unreasoned Medical Board Opinion

Rajnath releases volume on Op Sindoor with accounts of officers, aviators, other combatants

Future conflicts will span multiple domains, Army Chief tells NDA cadets

Anyone going towards Ramgarh, please stay vigilant

Lieutenant General (Retired) BS Dhaliwal was a highly decorated officer of the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers who retired in 2007 as the Engineer-in-Chief. Following his distinguished 40-year military career, he served as the long-standing Advisor (Technical/Infrastructure) to the Chief Minister of Punjab.Military & Civilian Career Highlights:Army Engineer: Commanded key assignments within the Military Engineering Service and the Border Roads Organisation.

Awards: Decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).

Advisory Role: Handled policy, infrastructure, and technology advisory roles for over a decade, serving across consecutive state governments.

Professional Contributions & Honors:Engineering Acclaim: First Indian to win the “Engineer of the Year Award” by the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP) in Singapore (2011). He also received the Golden Peacock Award on Ecological Innovation in 2007.Sport & Leisure: Served as Executive Vice President of both the Yachting Association of India and the Rowing Federation of India. Author: Penned the memoir The General Called Tsunami, which recounts his four decades of military service

BY LTGEN SS DHAIYA ,COL COMMANDT BENGAL SAPPERS

The funeral of our beloved father, Lt Gen B.S Dhaliwal(retd), will be held tomorrow at 2:30pm at the Electric Crematorium, Sector 25, Chandigarh.

Punjabi University staffer’s daughter commissioned as Sub Lieutenant in Indian Navy

Babushahi Bureau

Chandigarh, May 29, 2026: In a proud moment for Punjab, Nisha, daughter of Punjabi University employee Dinesh Chander, has been commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the Indian Navy.

An alumna of the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for Girls in Mohali, Nisha passed out from the Indian Naval Academy and was commissioned during an impressive passing out parade reviewed by Sameer Saxena.

She has been inducted into the Education Branch of the Indian Navy.

Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Aman Arora congratulated Sub Lieutenant Nisha on her achievement and said her success would inspire more young women from Punjab to join the armed forces.

He said the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is committed to supporting girls aspiring to become commissioned officers in the defence services.

Director of Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for Girls, Jasbir Singh Sandhu, also congratulated Nisha and described her commissioning as a motivating achievement for aspiring women cadets across the state.