73rd Independence Day: Narendra Modi announces creation of Chief of Defence Staff post to ensure synergy among navy, army, IAF

In a major boost to India’s three arms of the armed forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 15 August address on Thursday announced the creation of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post that will commonly helm the operations of the three forces – the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. Modi made the key announcement in his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 73rd Independence Day. [caption id=“attachment_7167451” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Narendra Modi announced 100 lakh crores for modern infrastructure in his 73rd Independence Day speech. ANI[/caption] The prime minister said the CDS will ensure synergy among the tri-services and provide effective leadership to them. “Our government has decided to have a Chief of Defence Staff- CDS,” Modi said.

Our forces are India's pride.

To further sharpen coordination between the forces, I want to announce a major decision from the Red Fort:

India will have a Chief of Defence Staff- CDS.

This is going to make the forces even more effective: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2019

“Experts of this field for long have been demanding this. We have today decided that India will now have a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Once this post is created, it will provide an effective leadership at the topmost level of the three forces,” Modi said.

Prime Minister @narendramodi announces the creation of position of Chief of Defence Staff #IndependenceDayIndia #IndependenceDay2019 #HappyIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/DUZTDlZ6Iz

— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 15, 2019

A high-level committee set up to examine the gaps in the country’s security system in the wake of the Kargil War in 1999 had called for the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff as a single-point military adviser to the defence minister. A group of ministers analysing required reforms in the national security system had also favoured appointing a chief of defence staff. In 2012, the Naresh Chandra Task Force had recommended creating the post of a permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CoSC comprises chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force and the senior-most among them acts as its chairman as per existing norm. Follow LIVE updates on Narendra Modi's Independence Day 2019 speech here With inputs from PTI