'Chief of Defence Staff must head strategic force'

By Atul Aneja

NEW DELHI, OCT. 31. The national strategic forces should be commanded by a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a tri-service representative of the defence services, the task force on higher defence management has said.

The task force, headed by the former Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Arun Singh, is one of the four formed on the basis of the Kargil Review Committee report to revamp the national security establishment. The other task forces on intelligence, internal security and border management subsequently submitted their reports to the Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani.

The GoM today began taking stock of the recommendations of the committees. After a flurry of meetings, it is likely to submit its final recommendations to the Cabinet by November 16, highly- placed sources in the Government said.

The CDS, according to the task force on defence management, should command the strategic forces. All institutions of tri- service nature, such as the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) whose formation has also been advocated by the sub-group on intelligence, should be subordinated to the CDS.

While the CDS should be technically of the same rank as the individual chiefs of each of the three services, he should, in practice, be treated as ``first among equals'', the report says.

Besides, the CDS should function as the chief military adviser to the defence minister.

Departing from the seniority principle, the task force said the CDS should be selected on ``merit''. In practice, that would mean the panel from where the Government can make its choice can include the heads of the army commands or officers of equivalent rank in the Indian Air Force and the Navy. The retirement age for the CDS can be 62 years to ensure he enjoys a minimum fixed tenure of two years.

The CDS should be advised by a Vice-Chief of Defence Staff (VCDS), who in turn, can undertake long-term defence planning. Existing bodies of a tri-service nature, such as the Defence Planning Staff, should be merged in the new set-up. All three- star Generals of the rank of Lt. Generals or their equivalents in the IAF and the Navy can also be eligible for selection. The Government should also choose a VCDS on merit alone.

Most countries who are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council as well as Israel and Pakistan have created a post of CDS in their armed forces.

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Section  : National
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