India’s gets its first Chief of Defence Staff in Gen Bipin Rawat on Monday after the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the post and outlined the charter and responsibilities.

Till now we already have the Chief of all the three forces who were reporting and advising to the Defence Minister on their respective forces. Now with the induction of this new post, CDS will be the Principal Military Adviser to the defence minister on all the three forces. In short, CDS will act as a bridge between Defence Minister and all the three force Chiefs in matters which have an impact on three forces. However the three service Chiefs will still continue advise Defence Minister on matters
exclusive to their respective force.

Role of Chief of Defence Staff

He will act as a point of contact on matters concerning all three forces. He will have to enable the much needed synergy and synchronization in the three forces on matters like planning, procurements, training and logistics. He will have to act as an adhesive for all the three forces and bring them to a single path without any priority to any particular force. This will help in building the military capabilities and managing the budgetary constraints in a better way. Like other three Chiefs, Chief of Defence Staff is also a four star general and he is not above them in the hierarchy. He is only the first among the equals. The need to have a CDS was first recommended by the committee who was examining the country’s security set up after kargil war.

“All three services will work as a team. It is not like the CDS will run them. Integration is a priority. We have to achieve more synergy and integration, that is the task. We will also do resource management”, said General Bipin Rawat.

General Bipin Rawat also welcomed and conveyed his best wishes to the new Chief of Indian Army General Manoj Naravane. Gen Rawat said that he is having immense confidence that army will achieve greater heights and achievements under new army chief.