A force Multiplier

Gen Naravane becomes India’s 28th Army chief as Gen Rawat is appointed the first-ever CDS

- Abhishek Bhalla

ARMY restructuring, weapon modernisation and non-contact warfare were some of the high lights of his career, said General Bipin Rawat who on Tuesday was appointed as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff as he ended his three-year tenure as Army Chief.

Rawat also clarified that he was only focused on doing his job as Army Chief and wasn’t thinking about his future as Chief of Defence Staff. The fallacy going around that he was working as Chief of Defence Staff.

“Till now I was Chief of Army and my mandate was limited to the roles and responsibility I was assigned. Now, when I am given a new responsibility, I will think and will work according to the new responsibility and vigour. If someone says that as Army Chief I was working towards whether I would be CDS it will be totally incorrect.”

Hours before demitting office as the Army chief, General Rawat also said the force is better prepared to face any challenge that may come up at India's borders with Pakistan and China, and identified Army’s restructuring and weapon system modernisation among the key achievements of the force during his tenure.