India is the world's last major democracy to have a single-point military adviser like the CDS, with all P5 countries already having one. Although the idea of creation of such a post goes back to as early Lord Mountbatten but General KV Krishna Rao was the first to advocate for the post of Chief of Defence Staff in June 1982. Officially, Kargil War Review Committee in 1999 recommended officially proposed the creation of the post of CDS in 2001. Here is a brief comparison of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in P5 countries. Countries use different names for the post; Chief of Staff, Commander-in-Chief, Chief of Defence Forces and Supreme Commander, for the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).


United States (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff)

He is the highest-ranking and senior-most military officer in the United States Armed Forces and is the principal military adviser to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Defence. The post was created in 1942 during World War II. General Mark A. Milley holds the current post.


China (Joint Chief of Staff)

He commands the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission that is the command organ and the headquarters for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, superseding the former PLA General Staff Department. It was founded on 2016 under Xi Jinping's military reforms. General Li Zuocheng is the current Chinese Joint Chief of Staff.


Russia: Chief of the General Staff

The chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian armed forces. The position dates to the period of the Russian Empire in 1812. The current Chief of the General Staff is Army General Valery Gerasimov.


France (The Chief of Staff of the Armies)

He is the chief of the general staff headquarters of the Armies of the French Republic and leading senior military officer responsible for usage of the French Armed Forces, ensuring the commandment of all military operations.The post was created on in 1948 and General François Lecointre is France's current Chief of Staff of the Armies.


United Kingdom (Chief of the Defence Staff)

India has adopted the position from Britain. The CDS is the head of the British armed forces. Like in India, he is also the senior-most military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence Minister and the Prime Minister. The post was created in 1959. Sir Nick Carter is the current Chief of Defence Staff in Britain.