Chief of Defence Staff
About
- The post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was created in 2019 as part of reforms in higher defence management in India.
- The creation of a CDS was suggested in 1999 by the Kargil Review Committee (KRC) headed by K Subrahmanyam to provide single-point professional military advice to the political leadership.
- The CDS holds the rank of a four-star General, with salary and perks equivalent to those of a Service Chief.
- The CDS is the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister on all tri-Services matters and Permanent Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) which has the three service chiefs as members.
- The CDS also heads the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), established within the Ministry of Defence, and functions as its Secretary.
Mandate
- The broad mandate of the CDS includes bringing about jointness in operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three Services.
- The CDS is also meant to bring about synergy and optimise procurements, training and logistics and facilitate restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources.
- The CDS do not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs.
Why in News?
- General N.S. Raja Subramani has assumed charge as India’s third Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary, Department of Military Affairs.