Rahul Singh

rahul.singh@hindustantimes.com

New Delhi : The Union government on Monday announced that General Bipin Rawat will be India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), heading the newly created department of military affairs and acting as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters related to the tri-services, an announcement that came a day before his retirement as the Indian Army chief.

The development, perhaps the most significant reform in top military management in India, comes four months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in his Independence Day speech the creation of the post for more effective coordination between the three armed forces. Rawat will take over as CDS on Tuesday.

The creation of a CDS was suggested almost two decades ago by the Kargil Review Committee (KRC) in February 2000.

“Government has decided to appoint General Bipin Rawat… as the Chief of Defence Staff with effect from 31.12.2019 and until further orders and extension in service of General Bipin Rawat… with effect from 31.12.2019 and till such period he holds the office of CDS,” an official statement said.

As CDS, Rawat will have the same salary and perquisites as the three service chiefs (who are also four-star officers). Apart from heading the department of military affairs, Rawat will also hold the charge of permanent chairman, chiefs of staff committee (CoSC).

“Chief of the Defence Staff shall pursue greater coordination amongst the three Services and ensure unison in employment of military power in line with the dynamic security requirement,” the Indian Army’s Twitter handle said.

Until now, the chairmanship of the committee, which consists of the three service chiefs, was held in rotation by the senior-most service chief for brief periods and the arrangement was found to be unsatisfactory.

Though the government has said the CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs, it is expected that Rawat will be the “first among equals”, also because he is senior to all the other chiefs in terms of service. Experts said Rawat will have his work cut out to fulfil his wide-ranging mandate.

Admiral Arun Prakash, who retired as navy chief and chairman, CoSC, in October 2006, said the principal challenge for the country’s first CDS will be to integrate the armed forces into the government edifice to enable them to participate fully in decision-making.

“Another challenge would be to integrate the department of military affairs with the department of defence. He will have to work out an arrangement for cross-postings — civilians and uniformed personnel — between the two wings of the defence ministry.

He will also have to integrate the acquisition requirements of the three services and groom people to take over theatre commands in future,” said Prakash, who was the commander-in-chief of India’s first tri-services command at Port Blair. He headed the Andaman and Nicobar Command during 2001-02.

HIS KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

UN peacekeeping efforts in DR Congo: Under his leadership, Indian brigade saved a key Congolese province from being overrun by rebels

2015 Myanmar surgical strikes: Supervised a cross-border operation against insurgents belonging to NSCN-K

2016 PoK surgical strikes: Supervised strikes against militant launch pads in PoK after the Uri attack

Army restructure: He is the brain behind a mammoth drill that could change the army’s complexion and direction and transform it into a deadlier fighting machine