Army Chief General Bipin Rawat named as India’s first CDS

By
Daily Excelsior
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General Bipin Rawat, the current Army Chief who will retire on December 31, is set to be named as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had, on December 24, approved the creation of the CDS position, who will be the single-point military adviser to the government, as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999.

On December 29, the government amended the rules placing a maximum age limit of 65 years for the CDS to serve in the position.

The changes were made in the Army Rules, 1954, according to a notification by the defence ministry.

The CCS had, on December 24, also approved the report of a high-level committee, headed by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, which finalised responsibilities and the enabling framework for the CDS.

In a landmark military reform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on August 15 announced that India will have a CDS heading the tri-services.

Days after the prime minister’s announcement, an Implementation Committee headed by Doval was appointed to finalise an enabling framework and determine the exact responsibilities for the CDS.

General Bipin Rawat will be replaced by Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane as the next Army chief.

Who is CDS and what are his responsibilities?

A key mandate of the CDS will be to facilitate restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint/theatre commands.

Officials said bringing about jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three services within three years will be another major mandate of the CDS.

The tri-service agencies, organisations and commands relating to cyber and space will be under the command of the CDS and he will also function as the Military Adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority.

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