Chief Of Defence Staff To Aid Synergies

He will be the single-point military adviser to Centre

- Dinakar Peri

In a major decision for higher-level military reforms and tri-service integration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced the appointment of a Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) who will be above the three service chiefs. The modalities are expected to be finalised in the next few months, defence sources said.

“I announce that there will be a Chief of Defence Staff going into the future who would be above the three service chiefs. This is going to make the forces even more effective,” he announced in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort. The creation of the CDS will eventually lead to the formation of tri-service theatre commands intended to create vertical integration of the three forces. However, it is not clear if the CDS will be a four-star or a five-star officer.

Avoiding duplication