Both serving and retired officers may be considered for CDS position

It has emerged that the government may consider both serving and retired military officers for the post, more than four months after the death of late General Bipin Rawat. General Bipin Rawat, India’s first chief of defence staff, was killed in an air crash in Tamil Nadu.

 

According to top government sources, the government will also make an announcement this week about the next army leader. Top sources told India Today that both serving and retired officers could be considered for the position of chief of defence staff. According to them, the officers could be from the ranks of lieutenant general-equivalent or service chiefs-equivalent.

 

 

One of the most large military structure reforms was the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff’s office, which has resulted in improved coordination between the government and the defence forces. Earlier, the country’s defence forces had to go through civilian bureaucracy to get their modernisation projects, promotions, and other requests cleared, but since the Department of Military Affairs was formed, all of these functions have been transferred to the military domain. The CDS has also been involved in bringing the three services together on military issues.