Explained: What's the role of Chief of Defence staff and what do new changes in government rules mean?

Six months after India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, died in a helicopter crash, the Centre has issued new guidelines to broaden the scope of eligible officers for the vacated post.

The amended rules of the armed forces will now make all serving and recently retired three-star officers under the age of 62 eligible for the post of CDS, according to a notification issued by the government.

What is the Chief of Defence Staff post?

The post of Chief of Defence Staff was created in 2019 on the recommendations of a committee of defence experts headed by Lt General DB Shekatkar.

The CDS heads two roles: one as the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, which has the three service chiefs as members, and the other as the head of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Ministry of Defence.

General Bipin Rawat was appointed the first Chief of Defence Staff. The post has been lying vacant since his death in a helicopter crash in December last year.

What are the responsibilities of the Chief of Defence Staff?

The Chief of Defence Staff is principally responsible for getting the armed forces better integrated rather than operating in silos as has been the case for decades.

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The job includes the creation of new military commands which integrate the Army, Air Force, and Navy to fight together.

According to the government, the CDS acts as the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister only on tri-services matters. The three service chiefs will continue to advise the Defence Minister exclusively on the matters concerning their respective services.

The CDS will not hold any military command, including over the three service chiefs.

As the Permanent Chairman of the Chief of Staff Committee, the CDS brings about jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three services.

What are the new rules regarding the appointment of the CDS?

As per the new guidelines issued by the Defence Ministry, any serving or retired Lieutenant General, Air Marshal and Vice Admiral under the age of 62 years will be eligible for the post of Chief of Defence Staff.

The new rules essentially open the doors for the second-highest active rank officers of the tri-services to possibly supersede their seniors – the chief of the army, air force, or navy – to take on the role and widens the pool from which a CDS can be appointed.

Recently retired service chiefs and vice chiefs are also eligible for the post, if they are under the age of 62.

In separate notifications on Monday, the government announced to make any serving or retired Lt General, Air Marshal or Vice Admiral eligible to be appointed as the CDS.

“The Central Government may, if considered necessary, in the public interest, so to do, appoint as Chief of Defence Staff, an officer who is serving as Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal or an officer who has retired in the rank of Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal but has not attained the age of 62 years on the date of his appointment,” the notification issued under the Air Force Act 1950 said.

It further said that the government may extend the service of the Chief of Defence Staff for such a period as it may deem necessary subject to a maximum age of 65 years.
With inputs from agencies

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