Chandigarh, December 15

Welcoming the government’s decision to finally appoint a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), experts at the Military Literature Festival today stressed that the post should be suitably empowered and the charter of duties clearly defined to meet the required objections of civil-military integration for policy planning, operations and procurements.

Former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen Aditya Singh said challenges of the 21st century required not just jointness among the services but a deep level of integration between the armed forces and the civilian leadership. The CDS would act as a single-point advisor to the Centre on all matters related to the three services.

Stating that India could not afford to work in silos, former Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt said while the post of CDS was absolutely necessary in the Indian context not just for logistics but also for operations, creating the post of CDS alone was not enough. It required transformation and remodeling of the higher defence establishment.

Dutt stressed the post of CDS has been created as it is necessary to have a professional body of the highest standing to facilitate ‘jointmanship’ and render single-point military advice to the government on matters of national security. He said that this post has been created by keeping in mind the present day needs and the first CDS would be appointed in few days from now.

Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd) said the CDS should be able to merge the capabilities which the services required with the procedures that the MoD required and the country’s higher defence organisation should be reformed with greater military presence in the ministry. — TNS