The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday approved the creation of a chief of defence staff (CDS), who will be the single-point military adviser to the government as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999, official sources said. The CCS also approved the report of a high-level committee, headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, which finalised responsibilities and the enabling framework for the CDS, they said.
Why India Needs Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
- India should not have a fragmented approach.
- Our entire military power will have to work in unison. All the three (Services) should move simultaneously at the same pace. ·
- Changing nature of war and security environment;
- Government conscious of National Security challenges. ·
- Recognition to military expertise in department’s decision making.
- Breaking Silos: Integration, collaboration, convergence and rationalization.
- Meritocracy: Right person to do right job.
Context:
- Vajpayee- Victory at Kargil- lessons learnt (Kargil Committee/ GoM)- steps towards integration
- Vajpayee + – culmination of process started at that time.
- Also more integration and further enhancement of role to meet newer challenges. · Not mere creation of a post but institutional reforms to achieve national security aims.
Role and responsibilities of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
- Act as the Principal Military Adviser to Raksha Mantri on tri-Services matters. The three Chiefs will continue to advise RM 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 effective functioning of that specific tri-service organization. However, Tri-services agencies/organizations/ 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 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 utilization of infrastructure and rationalize it;
- Enhance the share of indigenous equipment;
- Evaluate plans for ‘Out of Area Contingencies’, as well other contingencies such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief;
- Implement Five-Year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan (DCAP), and Two-Year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans (AAP), as a follow-up of Integrated Capability Development Plan (ICDP);
- Assign inter-Services prioritization 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 Raksha Mantri an empirical and objective Report on annual achievements in jointness during the year