CDS will enhance India's military capabilities: Lieutenant General (Retd) Vinod Bhatia

Lieutenant General (Retd) Vinod Bhatia on Tuesday said that the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) will enhance India's military capabilities and combat effectiveness. He asserted that this development within India’s forces has been awaited since last two decades. Lieutenant General Bhatia also spoke about how the post of CDS will help in getting the right equipment for Indian forces.  

Lieutenant General (Retd) Vinod Bhatia on CDS 

Lieutenant General (Retd) Vinod Bhatia while speaking to the news agency ANI said, “This was pending for the last two decades. The CDS will enhance military capabilities and combat effectiveness. We are the fourth largest military in the world, but we are also one of the least joint militaries in the world. We see CDS in the future as a prime military advisor to the Prime Minister and Defence Minister. He will synergise the three services.” 

"We have to ensure that the new age of warfare is multi-domain and multidimensional. CDS will make sure that we will get the right equipment... There are a lot of things which needs jointness. The budget will be optimally utilised. We have financial power and these are big changes," he added.  

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CDS announced 

The BJP government on Tuesday announced that the country will be getting its first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Following the announcement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed the decision and spoke about the decision pertaining to the armed forces of India. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the announcement as a historic decision which will enable higher defence management in the country. The Defence Minister also said that the government fulfilled its commitment. 

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Responsibilities of the CDS 

• The CDS will act as the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister of tri-service matters. The three chiefs will continue to advise the Raksha Mantri on matters exclusively concerning their specific service.  
• The officer is expected to provide integrated inputs of the services to relevant authorities. CDS will be a member of the Defence Acquisition Council and Defence Planning Committee. 
• It is the CDS' responsibility to bring about joint-ness in operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs, and maintenance.  
• The appointed official is also expected to ensure optimal utilization of infrastructure and rationalize it, enhance the share of indigenous equipment.  
• His role requires the officer to evaluate plans for Out of Area Contingencies, as well as other contingencies such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. 
• The CDS will Defence Capital Acquisition Plan (DCAP), and Two-Year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans (AAP), as a follow-up of the Integrated Capability Development Plan (ICDP), assign inter-services prioritization to capital acquisition proposals based on the anticipated budget.  
• The CDS will be responsible to integrate and rationalise international cooperation plans;  prepare strategy papers on military matters for consideration of the competent authority.  
• The CDS will bring about reforms in the functioning of three Services aimed at augmenting combat capabilities of the Armed Forces. This may, inter-alia; entail rationalization of facilities. Use of indigenous equipment across the whole spectrum.  
• It will be the responsibility of the CDS to identify and end obsolete practices, which may have crept in due to the colonial legacy.  

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