The government’s own press release defines the CDS appointment as a “landmark” decision. CDS will give “effective leadership” to the services at the top level of decision making, improve coordination amongst the three services, and prepare them better to deal with rapidly changing security environment and the changing nature of warfare. General Bipin Rawat took over as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) from 1 January, 2020

by Arvind Gupta

General Bipin Rawat took over as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) from 1 January, 2020. The Prime Minister deserves the credit for implementing a recommendation made in 2001 by a Group of Ministers on national security, headed by the then deputy Prime Minister LK Advani. The expectation is that higher defence management will improve significantly with the appointment of the CDS.

The government’s own press release defines the CDS appointment as a “landmark” decision. CDS will give “effective leadership” to the services at the top level of decision making, improve coordination amongst the three services, and prepare them better to deal with rapidly changing security environment and the changing nature of warfare.

To accommodate the CDS in the higher defence organisation, the government has decided to create a brand new Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Ministry of Defence.

The DMA will deal with the “Armed Forces of the union namely the Army Navy and Air Force… integrated headquarters of the Ministry of Defence comprising Army headquarters, Naval headquarters, air headquarters and defence staff headquarters.” It will also oversee “procurement exclusive to the services except capital acquisitions”.

The CDS will also be the permanent Chairman of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff, a member of the Defence Acquisition Council headed by the Raksha Mantri, Defence Planning Committee headed by the NSA, military advisor to the Nuclear Command Authority”. He will also act as the principal military adviser to defence minister on all tri-service matters. But the three Chiefs will continue to advise the RM on matters exclusively concerning their respective services. His role in these capacities will require further elaboration.

It is clear that higher defence management structures will now have an additional person in the shape of the CDS. His relationship with the three Chiefs and the Defence Secretary has not been defined clearly in the press release. His role as a military adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority too is not defined. According to the rules of business, defence secretary is responsible for the defence of the country. Will this position change with the appointment of the CDS? Probably not because the CDS is responsible only for military affairs whereas defence is a much wider concept. The efficacy of the CDS will depend on the quality of his relations with the Chiefs and the Defence Secretary.

The efficacy of the DMA will depend upon its structure, manning and professionalisation. It should have a healthy mix of serving officers and domain experts. Whether the appointment of the CDS will lead to professionalisation of the Ministry of Defence remains to be seen.

Several aspects of the CDS’s roles and responsibilities need greater clarity. This, hopefully, will emerge in due course. However, some tasks are cut out for him. To begin with, he can persuade the government to come out with a national security strategy from where coordinated defence doctrines will follow. He can also build the newly created tri-service cyber agency. Using his status and authority, he should cut the red tape, which has held up reforms in the procurement, make in India, indigenous and other areas.

One hopes that with the appointment of the CDS, the roles and functions of the other departments in the MoD will also be re-examined so that military and civilian bureaucracy work together in the interest of the country. Dealing with bureaucracy will be a challenge for the CDS.

The writer is former deputy National Security Adviser