New Delhi: Gen. Bipin Rawat took charge as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Wednesday. He is the first person in India to head the three services. After taking charge Gen. Bipin Rawat said the CDS will remain neutral within the Service (Army) and to all three Services.
After taking charge as the first Chief of Defence Staff(CDS) Gen.Bipin Rawat after reviewing a tri-service guard of honor talked to the media. He said that we have to achieve more through integration. The synergized effort should not be the sum total of the three. It should be more.
The office of the CDS is in the South Block and the officer will continue to wear the uniform of the parent service. However, the rank badges and accouterments of the CDS reflect jointness, integration, and synergy. In the uniform, there is a new Peak cap, shoulder rank badges, belt buckle, and a new car flag.
The broad commission of the CDS includes bringing about the oneness in operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three Services, within three years of the first CDS assuming office.
The commission also includes promoting oneness in procurement, training, and staffing for the Services; facilitation of restructuring of military commands for optimal utilization of resources by bringing about the oneness in operations, including through the establishment of joint/theatre commands and promoting the use of indigenous equipment by the Services.
There has been a general agreement among the Services on the formation on theatre commands and the Air Force has been especially opposed to the move. On this Gen. Rawat said there are methods of theaterisation. He said I think we are copying Western methods and what others have done. We can have our own systems. We will work out a mechanism.
