After Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement the Cabinet Committee on Security has recently created a position of Chief of Defence Staff.
In 1999 the Kargil Review Committee initially suggested this post and finally, the process was started on 15th August 2019 after Modi made an announcement regarding the CDS staff and that this service will be the head of the tri-services in India and a single-point military advisor for the government and this is the reason the CDS staff will also function as the Military advisor to the PM-led Nuclear Command Authority.
The approval of the CDS post and its charter from the Union Cabinet is truly a landmark reform which was planned since the 1999 Kargil conflict. However, on 15th August 2019, it was finally implemented when PM Modi mentioned this in his speech.
Bipin Rawat, the Army Chief General, is the front runner for the post who is due to retire from service on 31st December 2019.
ROLE OF CDS
The officials described the Chief of Defence Staff as the ‘first among equals’ among all the service chiefs. The CDS will be tasked with trimming weapons procurement procedures and integrating operations of the Indian armed forces- Army, Air Force and Navy.
The CDS will also head the Department of Military Affairs. Apart from just being the military advisor for the government. It will also have the authority to direct the service chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force and will also have the authority to create the theatre commands as and when needed.
Additionally, the CDS would also be a four-star general belonging to any of the three sectors of the Indian armed forces. It has been decided that their salary will be equal to that of a service chief. And the post of a Chief of Defence Staff will be of a fixed term which is not decided yet but will be determined soon.
IMPORTANCE OF CDS
- Countries like the US, UK, France and Germany already have a CDS-like post for integration in military planning and operations. Moreover, this was needed in India because India has 17 single-Service commands and only two tri-Service commands in the shape of the Andaman & Nicobar Command and the Strategic Forces Command in order to handle nuclear weapons.
- Also, there is only one operational commander where all the assets and the manpower of the Army, Navy and the Air Force are placed which is cost-effective and prepare forces for all the integrated operations
- It will also help in bringing jointness in operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs, maintenance, etc.
- The CDS will also help in evaluating plans for the ‘Out of Area Contingencies’ and other contingencies as well.