For India's First Four-Star General Road Cleared Finally

It is most heartening and most refreshing to see that the UnionCabinet on December 24 has now finally cleared the road for India’s first four-star general by approving the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who will act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters pertaining to the three services.

- Sanjeev Sirohi

The Cabinet also decided to create a new department of military affairs (DMA) to be headed by the CDS as its Secretary who is likely to have financial powers. The demand for India having a CDS has been a long pending one to unleash a series of higher level military reforms and therefore it is most refreshing to note that finally we see the long cherished idea translating into reality!

To put things in perspective, the CDS will also be the administrative head of the three services – Army, Air Force, Navy – but their command will be with the service chiefs. The CDS will, however, head the newly created agencies for cyber and space. The tri-service agency of special forces could also come under the CDS, but their deployment will hinge on ground commanders. The CDS will be the crucial

Needless to say, the headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), having representatives from the three services, will come under the CDS. The Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff, or CISC, will also come under the CDS and will be renamed as the deputy CDS. It is no secret that Gen Bipin Rawat is the fist CDS.

As it turns out, a government statement said that, “The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved to create the post of CDS in the rank of a four-star General with salary and perquisites equivalent to a Service Chief.” The CDS will head all tri-services institutions such as the National Defence Academy in Pune, College of Defence Management in Secunderabad and the National Defence College in Delhi. He will also be the permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) and will be supported by the IDS staff in this second role as well.