General Bipin Rawat named India’s first Chief of Defence Staff.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (HS): Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has been appointed as the first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of the country. Recently, the Central Government has extended the tenure of Chief of Defense Staff for 3 years. Now the age of retiring Chief of the defense will be 65 years. CDS will retire from this post only after completing 65 years of age. In the first 62 years, there was a provision to retire.

Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat may be the first Chief Defense Staff. This information has been given by sources. According to sources, the cabinet committee has approved the name of Rawat. Significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on 15 August that CDS would be the head of the three forces in India. Bipin Rawat is retiring from the army on 31 December. Officials said that the CDS will be similar to other army chiefs. However, CDS will be above the Chiefs of Army in the list of protocols.

“The government has approved the creation of a post of chief of defense staff. The officer to be appointed as chief of defense staff will be a four-star general and will also head the department of military affairs,” Union minister for information and broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said at a press conference, adding that the CDS will act as the “principal military adviser to the defense minister on all tri-services matters”.

The objective of appointing the CDS is to increase the coordination between the three armies to deal with the security challenges facing India. CDS will carry out the integration work between the operations, logistics, transport, training, community, etc. of the three armies. Also, the CDS will have a major role in the modernization of the armies.

The CDS will also have an important role in implementing the Five Year Defense Assessment Plan of the Services i.e. the five-year Defense Budget of the Services. In the future, the CDS will also play an important role in creating a shared ‘theater command’ of the three armies. The Chief of Defense Staff will also serve as the military advisor to the Nuclear Command Authority headed by the Prime Minister.