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When we talk about the history of the Indian Army, there are many such names that we always remember who had given a very significant role and contribution to the Indian force. And one such name is Lt. General Anil Chauhan, the Second Chief of India of the Defence Staff.
The Government of India has recently appointed Lt. General Anil Chauhan as the Second Chief of the Defence Staff and the second CDS of India. He has taken the seat of CDS after it’s been long vacant since December 2021. The seat was empty after the sudden demise of the predecessor, COAS Bipin Rawat which happened in a helicopter crash.
Who is Lt. General Chauhan
An alum of the National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy Dehradun, Lt. General Chauhan was commissioned to the Indian Army when he was 61 years old in the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Army in 1981.
Further, he served as the first officer who managed the Department of the Indian Army Veterans as a brigadier. He also led an infantry division in Northern Command’s Baramulla sector as a Major General. But later he got promoted to lieutenant general and commanded 3 Corps under Eastern Command. General Chauhan was also designated as the Eastern Command’s General Officer Commanding in Chief in the year 2019 which he followed till his retirement in May 2021.
Lt. General Chauhan was also the Director General of Military Operations for the Balakot airstrike which happened in the year 2019. During that strike, he managed and coordinated Operations- Sunrise 1 and 2 – the operations by the armies of India and Myanmar against the militant camps in the northeast with the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in February and May 2019.
After his retirement, he served the nation as the National Security Council Secretariat’s Military Advisor, reporting to NASA.
Responsibilities and Challenges
Lt. General Anil Chauhan will now be the senior-most liaison between the Military and the Indian army. And now, his major responsibilities will be to direct the government’s procurement, training and staffing decisions. He will also head the Integrated Defence Staff and Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Now, the main challenge or threat to our Indian military is from the country China with the target being the northeast and other parts of the Indian border. The toughest challenge is from the communist countries for General Chauhan.
Not, as far we are concerned about the domestic challenges, the toughest challenge is the integration task of 17 operational commands of IAF- 7 of them are from the army, 7 are from the Air Force, and 3 are from the Navy.