CDS position has been vacant since General Bipin Rawat’s death in a helicopter crash in December last year.
The Ministry of Defence has issued gazette notifications to amend regulations of three defence forces – the Army, Navy, and Air Force – regarding the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff, a position that has been vacant since General Bipin Rawat’s death in a helicopter crash in December last year.
According to the Air Force notification, the government may consider an officer who is currently serving as Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal, or an officer who has retired in similar ranks but has not reached the age of 62 on the date of appointment.
It stated that the considerations would be made “if deemed necessary, in the public interest.”
It stated that the government may extend the Chief of Defence Staff’s service “for such period as it may deem necessary, subject to a maximum age of 65 years. “The Army and Navy have received similar notifications.
The newly retired chiefs of services will not be considered under the new rules. The amendments also suggest that an announcement on the new CDS is on the way.
The CDS is the most senior uniformed officer in rank, the first among equals — the CDS, the chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force are the only four-star officers in the country.
However, under the new rules, all three- and four-star officers from the three services, including those who retired within the last two years, will be considered.
The government, on the other hand, has set an age limit of 62 years. Since service chiefs are required to retire at the age of 62, the three service chiefs who have retired in quick succession since September 2021 are ruled out.
Recently retired chiefs will be not be eligible for appointmnet as CDS:
It also means that General MM Naravane, who stepped down as Army Chief in April after reaching the age of 62, will not be considered. Since the CDS position became vacant in December, Naravane has been considered a frontrunner.
Admiral Karambir Singh, who retired as Navy chief in November 2021, and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who retired as IAF chief in September 2021, will also be disqualified.
Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari is the most senior of the three service chiefs and serves as chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Admiral R Hari Kumar is the second most senior officer, followed by General Manoj Pande, who took over as Army chief in May.
The appointment of a serving or retired three-star officer over a serving four-star officer may cause some complications.
Even for service chiefs, the most senior officer in the service is usually appointed, but this is a convention rather than a rule, and there have been exceptions.
On December 8, 2021, General Bipin Rawat, the first CDS, died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. He was appointed on December 31, 2019, with a three-year term ending at the end of this year.
The CDS’s mandate as the primary military advisor to the government also includes fostering jointness among the armed forces, establishing integrated theatre commands, and prioritizing capital acquisition for force modernization.
It was created as a dual-hatted role because the CDS was also appointed as Secretary of Military Affairs.
Reforms in the Defence Forces:
The rules came at a time, when government is already considering some reforms especially in the Army like Tour of Duty.
Soldiers or “Agniveer” will be recruited for a four-year tour of duty under the new Tour of Duty system, which is likely to be named “Agnipath,” after which they will receive over Rs 10 lakh tax-free and certificates or diplomas for their service.
Pension savings would be a significant benefit for the government.
It has allotted nearly Rs 1.2 lakh crore for pensions to the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces in the current fiscal year, which is nearly a quarter of the total defence budget and more than the capital acquisition allocation.
The move is expected to address several issues concerning the Armed Forces and provide relief to lakhs of young people who want to join the Army, Navy, and Air Force Armed Forces.
Read More- Government Widens CDS Pool; Makes Retired 3 Star Generals Eligible
