The challenges before Chief of Defence Staff

General Bipin Rawat has taken over as the first CDS of India, he will function as a Secretary in a newly created Department of Military Affairs within the Ministry of Defence.

- S.N. MISRA

He will be the single point Military Advisor to the Raksha Mantri. He will also be the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee but will not exercise military command over the three Service Chiefs.

CDS was one of the main recommendations of the GOM headed by Mr. L.K. Advani, after the Kargil war of 1999. The Committee was of the view that a CDS who would “take a coordinated view of the three services, while individual chiefs can present their view point to the Defence Minister, where the Chiefs have a different viewpoint from the CDS”. The other recommendations for the CDS included administrative control over strategic forces and not operational military control; facilitating efficient and effective planning and budget process and coordination in operation. The recommendations were also equally clear that the Defence Secretary will be the Principal Defence Advisor on policy matters and financial management, while CDS will be the single point military advisor.

As per the scope of function of the CDS as notified, he will be the first amongst equals but can direct the Service Chiefs. He will facilitate restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilisation of resources which will include the establishment of joint/theatre commands. He would be responsible for jointness amongst the services and implement the five year defence acquisition plan. It may be recalled that the government created CIDS (Chief of Integrated Defence Staff) in 2001, to provide an integrated view of planning and procurement of weapon procurement to assist the Defence Acquisition Council in prioritisation and weapons procurement. The CIDS will henceforth be rechristened as Vice Chief of Defence Staff and work under the nearly created department of military affairs headed by the CDS.