The Chief of Army Staff COAS of the Indian Army General Manoj Mukund Naravane has been appointed Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee until the Government of India appoints a new Chief of Defence Staff CDS. The senior-most of the three service chiefs was the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee for the time-being after the demise of India s first Chief of Defence Staff CDS General Bipin Rawat in an IAF helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu s Coono
General Rawat was appointed the 27th Army Chief on January 1, 2020 and was appointed as the first CDS. General Naravane took over as a 28th Army Chief from General Rawat in December 2019 and his tenure will continue until April 2022. This is a procedural step for the time being. In the absence of a CDS, the senior-most chief takes over as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, India Today quoted sources as saying.
The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee CISC will report to General Naravane for the time. The CDS also heads the newly formed Department of Military Affairs and acts as the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
The CDS is responsible for the reorganization of military commands for the best use of resources by bringing together operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three services, including through the establishment of joint and theatre commands. The CDS job memo has a focus on the use of indigenously made equipment.
The Chief of Defence Staff also has powers on tri-service administrative issues whereas tri-service training is kept under the office of the CDS and the Department of Military Affairs. The CDS is also the Principal Advisor to the Defence Ministry. As per the Defence Ministry, the CDS will be the principal military advisor to Raksha Mantri on all tri-services matters. The three chiefs will continue to advise Raksha Mantri on matters exclusively related to their respective services. CDS will not have to exercise any military command, including the three service chiefs, so as to be able to give impartial advice to the political leadership. General Rawat had set out to roll out the theatre commands during his tenure as CDS. The next CDS has to take the reorganization process forward and continue General Rawat's approach to building consensus.
General Naravane said at an event in 2020 that the next step in military reforms will be to set up integrated theatre commands and the process to set up theatre commands that must be deliberate, thoughtful and well-considered. It will take several years to reach its fruition.