Login With Google
Chief of Defence Staff post
Why is it in news?
- In a major decision for higher level military reforms and tri-service integration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
- CDS will be above the three Service Chiefs. The modalities are expected to be finalised in the next few months.
More in news
- No clarification on star badge:It is not clear from the announcement if the CDS will be a four-star or a five-star officer.
- Vertical integration of 3 forces: 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.
- Single-point military adviser: The CDS will be a single-point military adviser to the government and synergise long term planning, procurements, training and logistics of the three Services.
- Avoiding duplication: This is expected to save money by avoiding duplication between the Services, at a time of shrinking capital expenditure within the defence budget.
- Constituting implementation committee: The Defence Ministry will constitute an implementation committee which will finalise the modalities which is expected to take few months.
- Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC): Currently, the senior most of the three Chiefs functions as the Chairman of the COSC but it is an additional role and the tenures have been very short.
Committees on defence:
- Kargil panel:(1) The creation of a CDS to act as a single point military adviser to the Prime Minister on strategic issues was one of the key recommendations of the Kargil review committee on higher military reforms after the 1999 conflict.(2) Despite much deliberation, the issue did not make progress due to lack of consensus and apprehensions from Services.
- D.B. Shekatkar committee: The CDS is also one of the 99 recommendations made by the Lt. General D.B. Shekatkar (retd.) Committee which submitted its report in December 2016 and had 34 recommendations pertaining to tri-service integration.
- Naresh Chandra committee: In 2012, the Naresh Chandra committee recommended the appointment of a Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) as a midway to allay apprehensions over the CDS.
Conclusion: It is much needed reform to streamline and further improve the coordination among the three forces and their functioning. CDS will have a long lasting and a positive impact on India’s security. (Note: Use it to conclude issue on CDS)
Source
The Hindu