India, June 23 -- The appointment of General Raja Subramani, India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) comes at a moment when the demands on the armed forces are expanding rapidly. India must prepare for integrated operations across multiple domains, the possibility of simultaneous pressure on multiple fronts, and warfare getting increasingly shaped by new technologies. It is, therefore, natural that much of the commentary around the challenges facing the new CDS focuses on theatreisation, jointness, capability development, emerging technologies, and atmanirbharta (self-reliance).

Yet, there is a danger in placing the burden of comprehensive military reform on one appointment. The question is not whether General Subramani has the professional...