CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF

CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF

This post was first proposed by the Group of Ministers Report in 2001

HOW MUCH POWER WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CDS IS THE BIGGEST QUESTION?

The service chiefs and their headquarters will bitterly oppose creating an empowered CDS.
India’s is perhaps the only large military wherein the service chiefs retain both operational
and staff functions. This anomaly cannot continue merely because that is the tradition 

SUGGESTIONS 

Instead of being shunted, officers in the IDS should occupy prime offices in South Block and
the office of the CDS should be located right next to that of the Defence Minister.
The government need not go with the seniority rule and should instead consider a “deep
selection” from current pool of flag officers.