Picture : Twitter / ANI
In a major cabinet decision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, it has approved the creation of a chief of defence staff in the rank of a four-star General who will act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters relating to tri-services.
The government has also decided to create a new department of military affairs under the defence ministry, which will be headed by the CDS as its secretary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 announced that India will have a CDS as head of the tri-services.
The creation of the CDS as the single-point military adviser to the government was suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999.
Union Minister Government, Prakash Javadekar, announced the cabinet move at a media briefing .
A key mandate of the CDS will be to facilitate restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint/theatre commands, officials said.
They said bringing about jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three services within three years will be a major mandate of the CDS.
