Chief Of Defence staff || Tindit India ||

Chief Of Defence staff is most waited post in Indian defence sector.Prime minister Mr. Narendra Modi announced creation of chief of defence staff on the occasion of independent day 2019  from Red fort, Delhi. Cabinet pass the ordinance related to appointment of chief of defence staff.

It is landmark decision with tremendous reform in higher  defence management.

Image courtesy - KIET SSB ACADEMY

Proposal of chief of defence staff:-

Need of CDS in defence management feel initially after 1962 India China War because there is problem in coordination among all three wings airforce, navy and army. But it is officially proposed by K. Subrahmanyam committee appointed after the Kargil conflict of 1999 to recommend higher military reforms. However, lack of consensus and apprehensions among services meant it never moved forward.In 2012, the Naresh Chandra committee recommended the appointment of a Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) as a midway to allay apprehensions over the CDS.The CDS is also one of the 99 recommendations made by the Lt General D.B. Shekatkar (retd) Committee which submitted its report in December 2016 which had 34 recommendations pertaining to the tri-services.In the absence of a CDS, presently the seniormost of the three Chiefs functions as the Chairman COSC. But it is an additional role and the tenures have been very short.

Roles and responsibilities of cds:-

1.CDS will be permanent chief of  Chief of staff committee. 

2. CDS will head of department of military affairs, which is established under defence ministry. 

3. CDS will be member of defence acquisition council chared by defence minister and Defence Planning Committee chaired by NSA.

4. The Chief of Defence Staff will act as the single-point military adviser to the government on military and strategic issues and oversee procurement, training and logistics.

5.CDS will act as Military advisers to Nuclear Commond Authority lead by Prime minister of India.

6.CDS will lead Integrated Space Cell ( established for better coordination in Military and ISRO) and Cyber warfare division as both are transfer to department of military affairs.

 7. Ensures optimal utilisation of resources

Apart from the above, the mandate of the Department of Military Affairs will include the following areas:

Promoting jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the Services through joint planning and integration of their requirements.

Facilitation of restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint/theatre commands.

Promoting use of indigenous equipment by the Services.

Implement five year Defence  Capital Acquisition Plan, Two year roll on Annual Acquisition Plan, as a fallow up of integrated capability development plan.

The following areas will be dealt by the Department of Military Affairs headed by CDS:

The Armed Forces of the Union, namely, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence comprising Army Headquarters, Naval Headquarters, Air Headquarters and Defence Staff Headquarters.

The Territorial Army.

Works relating to the Army, the Navy anrd the Air Force.

Procurement exclusive to the Services except capital acquisitions, as per prevalent rules and procedures.

General Bipin Rawat 

 The CDS, however, will not have any operational role and military command. But, will ensure coordination in joint operations.There no degradation in any power chief of army, navy and airforce except that CDS is permanent chief of COCS, which is hold by senior most chief.CDS is four star general and other facilities as same as respective chiefs. Another change in the army rules is that the expression ‘General’ will be used both for the Army Chief and the CDS. The same rule applies for the air force and navy as well. The expression ‘Admiral’ will be used both for the Navy Chief and if the CDS is a naval officer, while ‘Air Chief Marshal’ will be used both the Air Force Chief and if the CDS is an air force officer.CDS hold their position till 65 year old.In other powerful countries specifically Nuclear Powers countries CDS or its equivalents post are already exist. They are work as Military advisers to government.Some people opposed CDS post because they think CDS is most powerful personal in Military and it degrades moral of their respective chiefs and also create problems for civilians.But government of india clear that CDS not give any order to respective chiefs directly. CDS are only work as adviser and help to increase coordination in their operations.

Written by Utkarsh Mishra

(Team TINDIT )