In a landmark decision, the government has named Gen Bipin Rawat as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a day before he completes his three-year term as Chief of the Army Staff.

The government had on Sunday amended the Army rules to change the retirement age of tri-service chief and CDS to 65 years. The decision to amend the rules was obviously taken so that a service chief could be appointed as the CDS after retirement.

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The Union Cabinet had last week approved setting up of a Department of Military Affairs within the Defence Ministry of Defence to be headed by the CDS having the rank of a four-star General. The government’s decision to appoint a CDS was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on 15 August.

The CDS will be the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and will be supported by the Integrated Defence Staff. As per the charter of duties, the CDS will also be the member of the Nuclear Command Authority, headed by the Prime Minister.

The CDS will act as the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister on tri-Services matters. The three Chiefs will continue to advise the Defence Minister on matters exclusively concerning their respective services. The CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs.

The following will be the role and responsibilities of the CDS:

• Act as the Principal Military Adviser to Defence Minister on tri-Services matters. The three Chiefs will continue to advise the Defence Minister on matters exclusively concerning their respective Services.
• CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs.
• CDS will administer tri-services organisations. Their military command will be with the Chief of the duly notified Service, which has a predominant role in the effective functioning of that specific tri-service organisation. However, Tri-services agencies/organisations/ commands related to cyber and space will be under the command of the CDS.
• Provide integrated inputs of the Services to relevant authorities. CDS will be a member of Defence Acquisition Council and Defence Planning Committee.
• Bring about jointness in operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs, and maintenance, etc. of the three Services within three years of the first CDS assuming office.
• Ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure and rationalise it.
• Enhance the share of indigenous equipment.
• Evaluate plans for ‘Out of Area Contingencies’, as well as other contingencies such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
• Implement a Five-Year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan (DCAP), and Two-Year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans (AAP), as a follow-up of the Integrated Capability Development Plan (ICDP).
• Assign inter-Services prioritisation to capital acquisition proposals based on the anticipated budget.
• Integrate and rationalise international cooperation plans.
• Prepare strategy papers on military matters for consideration of the competent authority.
• Bring about reforms in the functioning of three Services aimed at augmenting combat capabilities of the Armed Forces. This may, inter-alia; entail rationalization of facilities. Use of indigenous equipment across the whole spectrum. He will identify and end obsolete practices, which may have crept in due to the colonial legacy.
• Build trust and confidence in the rank and file.
• Prepare for the Defence Minister an empirical and objective report on annual achievements in jointness during the year.