Gen Bipin Rawat Named India’s First Chief of Defence Staff

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The government on Monday, 30 December, named Army Chief General Bipin Rawat as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), according to an India Today report.

Incidentally, Rawat was supposed to retire from service on Tuesday, after completing a full three-year term as the Chief of Army Staff.

Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be replacing General Bipin Rawat the as the next Chief of Army Staff.The government has set the age of retirement for the CDS at 65. Thus, Rawat, born in 1958, will be eligible to hold the post till 2023. However, since the government has not yet specified the CDS’ tenure, the length of Rawat’s stint is still unclear.

He will continue to hold the rank of a 4-star General during his stint as the CDS.

A key mandate of the CDS will be to facilitate restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint/theatre commands.

Officials said bringing about jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three services within three years will be another major mandate of the CDS.

The tri-service agencies, organisations and commands relating to cyber and space will be under the command of the CDS and he will also function as Military Adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority.

General Rawat assumed charge as Chief of Army Staff on 31 December 2016. Before becoming army chief, he handled various operational responsibilities in many areas, including along the LoC with Pakistan, the LAC with China and in the Northeast.