 
                                    The Indian government has appointed Anil Chauhan as its defence chief to succeed Bipin Rawat, who died in a helicopter crash along with 13 others last December.
Chauhan, 61, served as a lieutenant general before retiring in May 2021, after commanding the Indian army's eastern division.
He will also function as secretary to the department of military affairs once he takes charge, the government said in a statement.
His appointment comes after months of speculation over who would be India's defence chief, while the situation at the country's borders with neighbors China and Pakistan remains tense.
Rawat was appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in late 2019.
Rawat, his wife and 12 defence personnel were en route to a military staff college in southern India when the air force helicopter they were travelling in went down.

 
                                 
                                        
 Turkey sentences 11 people to life in prison over ski resort hotel fire
            Turkey sentences 11 people to life in prison over ski resort hotel fire
         Israel launches more strikes on Gaza overnight, testing fragile truce
            Israel launches more strikes on Gaza overnight, testing fragile truce
         Trump-Putin summit cancelled, FT reports
            Trump-Putin summit cancelled, FT reports
         Houthis say 43 detained UN staff to face trial over Israeli attack
            Houthis say 43 detained UN staff to face trial over Israeli attack
         Hurricane Melissa leaves 49 dead in Caribbean, churns north
            Hurricane Melissa leaves 49 dead in Caribbean, churns north
         King Charles strips brother Andrew of titles and his mansion
            King Charles strips brother Andrew of titles and his mansion
         Vietnam flood death toll rises to 13, with 11 others missing
            Vietnam flood death toll rises to 13, with 11 others missing
         US grants India six-month sanctions waiver to run Iran's Chabahar port
            US grants India six-month sanctions waiver to run Iran's Chabahar port
         
                             
                             
                             
                                    