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{{short description|Leader of the Indian Armed Forces}}
{{short description|Overall professional head of the Indian Armed Forces}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
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| body = Defence Staff
| body = Defence Staff
| native_name =  
| native_name =  
| insignia = Seal of Chief of Defence Staff (India).png
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption = Seal of the Chief of Defence Staff
| insigniaalt =
| flag = Flag of Chief of Defence Staff (India).svg
| flag = Flag of Chief of Defence Staff (India).svg
| flagsize =  
| flagsize = 180px
| flagalt =  
| flagalt =  
| flagborder =  
| flagborder =  
| flagcaption = Flag of the Chief of Defence Staff
| flagcaption = [[List of Indian flags#Inter-military syndicates|Flag of the Chief of Defence Staff]]
| image =  
| image = Anil Chauhan Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).jpg
| imagesize =  
| imagesize = 190px
| alt =  
| alt =  
| imagecaption =  
| imagecaption =  
| incumbent = ''Vacant''
| incumbent = [[General (India)|General]] [[Anil Chauhan]]<br/>{{small|[[PVSM]] [[UYSM]] [[AVSM]] [[Sena Medal|SM]] [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]]}}
| acting =  
| acting = N
| incumbentsince = 8 December 2021
| incumbentsince = 30 September 2022
| department = [[Integrated Defence Staff]]
| department = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Indian Armed Forces.svg}} [[Indian Armed Forces]]
| style =  
| style =  
| type = Chief of Defence
| type = [[Chief of Defence]]
| status = Leader of the Armed Forces, Highest ranking military officer
| status = Overall professional head of the [[Indian Armed Forces]].
| abbreviation = CDS
| abbreviation = CDS
| member_of = * Chiefs of Staff Committee
| member_of = {{plainlist|
* [[Chiefs of Staff Committee (India)|Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
* [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Defence Acquisition Council]]
* [[Department of Military Affairs]]
* [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]]
* [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]]
* Defence Acquisition Council
* [[Defence Planning Committee]]
* [[Nuclear Command Authority (India)|Nuclear Command Authority]]
* [[Nuclear Command Authority (India)|Nuclear Command Authority]]
| reports_to = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
}}
| residence = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]
| reports_to = [[File:Flag of India.svg|20px]] [[President of India]]<br/>[[File:Flag of India.svg|20px]] [[Prime Minister of India]]<br/>[[File:Flag of India.svg|20px]] [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| seat = [[Secretariat Building, New Delhi|Integrated Defence Headquarters]]
| residence = Residence 3, Kamraj Ln, Meena Bagh, Krishna Manon Lane Area, New Delhi
| seat = Room No 104. [[Department of Military Affairs]], [[Ministry of Defence]], [[Secretariat Building, New Delhi|South Block, Secretariat Building, New Delhi]]
| nominator =  
| nominator =  
| appointer = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]]
| appointer = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]]<br>[[President of India]]
| appointer_qualified =  
| appointer_qualified =  
| termlength = Not fixed,
| termlength = {{raise|0.0em|No fixed duration, only from appointment till the age of 65.}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/services-rules-amended-for-army-navy-and-air-force-cds-can-serve-till-65/342360/|title=Services rules amended for Army, Navy and Air Force, CDS can serve till 65|website=theprint.in|date=29 December 2019}}</ref>
| termlength_qualified = May serve until the age of 65.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chief-of-defence-staff-can-serve-till-65-says-government/article30427338.ece|title=Chief of Defence Staff can serve till 65, says government|date=29 December 2019|author=Dinakar Peri}}</ref>
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =  
| constituting_instrument =  
| precursor = [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
| formation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2020|1|1}}
| formation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2019|12|24}}
| first = [[General (India)|General]] [[Bipin Rawat]], {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|PVSM|UYSM|AVSM|YSM|SM|VSM|ADC}}
| first = [[Bipin Rawat]]
| last =  
| last =  
| abolished =  
| deputy = {{flagicon image|Flag of Integrated Defence Staff.svg|size=24px}} [[Chief of Integrated Defence Staff]] (CISC)
| superseded_by =
| salary = {{INRConvert|250000}} monthly<ref name="7 Pay Commission Report">{{cite web|url=http://7cpc.india.gov.in/pdf/sevencpcreport.pdf|title=Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission of India|publisher=Seventh Central [[Pay Commission]], [[Government of India]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120092637/http://7cpc.india.gov.in/pdf/sevencpcreport.pdf|archive-date=20 November 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cheggindia.com/govt-exams-blogs/cds-salary/#:~:text=The%20salary%20of%20the%20CDS,Staff%20on%2028%20September%202022.|title=CDS Salary 2024: Basic Pay Scale, Benefits, Perks & Allowances|website=www.cheggindia.com|date=19 January 2024}}</ref>
| unofficial_names =
| website = {{official website|https://ids.nic.in/cds.php}}
| deputy = [[Vice Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Vice Chief of Defence Staff]]
| salary =  
| website = {{official website|https://www.ids.nic.in/cds.php}}
| footnotes =  
| footnotes =  
}}
}}


The '''Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces''' ('''CDS''') is the [[chief of defence|military head]] and [[chairman]] of the [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee|Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee]] of the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. The CDS is the senior most and highest ranking uniformed officer on active duty in the Indian military, and is the principal staff officer and chief military adviser to the [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]. The Chief also heads the [[Department of Military Affairs]]. The first Chief of Staff was [[Bipin Rawat]] who took office on 1 Jan 2020 and held it till his death on 8 Dec 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/gen-bipin-rawat-named-as-the-countrys-first-chief-of-defence-staff/articleshow/73028962.cms|title=Gen Bipin Rawat named as the country's first Chief of Defence Staff|date=30 December 2019|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref><ref name="ndtv">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/general-bipin-rawat-to-be-chief-of-defence-staff-us-congratulates-him-2156608|title=General Bipin Rawat took over as Chief of Defence Staff, US Congratulates Him|last=Ranjan|first=Rajeev|editor-last=Nair|editor-first=Arun|website=NDTV|access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=IAF Helicopter Crash Live Updates: CDS Gen Bipin Rawat killed in chopper crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor, confirms IAF|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/iaf-helicopter-crash-live-updates-13-dead-as-chopper-with-cds-bipin-rawat-on-board-crashes-in-tamil-nadu/liveblog/88150787.cms|access-date=2021-12-08|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>
The '''Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)''' is the [[Chief of defence|principal military authority]] and [[Military star ranking|senior-most appointment]] of the [[Indian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/whos-who/chiefs-armed-forces|title=Chiefs of Armed Forces|website=www.india.gov.in}}</ref> Deemed the overall professional head of India’s three armed services, namely, the [[Indian Army]], the [[Indian Navy]] and the [[Indian Air Force]], the CDS is the highest-ranking military officer in service, responsible for overseeing [[Jointness|inter-service jointness]] across all disciplines related to military functioning.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/security/chief-of-defence-staff-bipin-rawat/amp/|title=Explainer: What India's First Chief of Defence Staff Is Supposed To Do|website=thewire.in|date=31 December 2019}}</ref> Primarily, the office operates on a status of ''[[primus inter pares]]'' i.e., ''first among equals'' with the chiefs of the three services, and functions as the Permanent-Chairman of the [[Chiefs of Staff Committee (India)|Chiefs of Staff Committee]] (COSC) – the inter-service syndicate responsible for ensuring the establishment and preservation of military integration.<ref name="ORF1"/>


The CDS is a [[Four-star rank|four-star]] officer selected from among the serving officers of the Indian Armed Forces. While being "[[Primus inter pares|first among equals]]" among the service chiefs, the CDS is a single-point military advisor to the defence minister.<ref name="ht"/>.The CDS is assisted by a deputy, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. The CDS heads the [[Department of Military Affairs]] under the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]], as its [[Secretary to the Government of India|secretary]]. Apart from heading the DMA, the CDS is the Permanent Chairperson of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (PC-CoSC).<ref name="direct" />
Statutorily, the CDS is the [[Secretary to the Government of India]] of the [[Department of Military Affairs]], the [[Civil-military operations|civil-cum-military]] entity responsible for fostering professional coordination between the services, and by extension, is also the principal military advisor to the nation’s [[Civil control of the military|civilian leadership]] i.e., the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] on affairs privy to inter-service integration; as such, the office exists primarily as an advisor and adjudicator position, endowed with no operational command control.<ref name="PIB_1">{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=198899|title=Functions of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)|website=pib.gov.in|date=3 February 2020}}</ref>


Chief of Defence Staff is a critical position in today's era of [[hybrid warfare]], and will help increase coordination, tri-service effectiveness and integrate overall combat capabilities of Indian armed forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/prime-minister-narendra-modi-chief-of-defence-staff-position-5908744/|title=Explained: Understanding post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)|last=Subramanian|first=Nirupama|date=16 August 2019|website=The Indian Express|access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref> The [[Defence Secretary (India)|Defence Secretary]], a civil servant, remains as the main defence adviser, whilst the CDS has been sanctioned the role of being the main military adviser, acting as the single-point military adviser to the [[Government of India|government]] and Defence Minister.{{Efn|"The three service chiefs would continue to advise the minister on matters exclusively concerning their respective services"<ref name="ht">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-sets-up-dept-of-military-affairs-to-be-headed-by-chief-of-defence-staff/story-eIC4HPIpbexJgGtpEfMaLI.html|title=Govt sets up Dept of Military Affairs to be headed by Chief of Defence Staff|date=2019-12-24|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2019-12-26}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Singh|first=Rajneesh|date=Summer 2017|title=Harmonising Military–Bureaucracy Relations in Defence Ministry: Some Thought|url=https://www.claws.in/images/journals_doc/1684503031_08_chap(1)(1).pdf|journal=CLAWS Journal|via=[[Centre for Land Warfare Studies]]}}</ref> India was the only large democracy which did not have a single point military advisor; with all [[P5+1|P5 countries]] having one.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20190902-enter-the-superchief-1590316-2019-08-23|title=Chief of Defence Staff: Can the new superchief call the shots?|last=Unnithan|first=Sandeep|date=23 August 2019|website=India Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823151734/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20190902-enter-the-superchief-1590316-2019-08-23|archive-date=23 August 2019|access-date=2019-08-25}}</ref>
Since its formal creation in 2020, the CDS has been officiated on a rotational basis by [[Military star ranking|four-star officers]] nominated from any of the three services.<ref name="ORF1"/> Domestically, the office ranks 12th-overall in the [[Order of precedence in India|Indian order of precedence]], and is the status-equivalent of the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]], the [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]] and the [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]]; internationally, it is identical to the [[British Armed Forces|United Kingdom's]] [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] with similar functions to [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Pakistan's]] [[Chief of Defence Forces (Pakistan)|Chief of Defence Forces]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/table_of_precedence.pdf|title=President's Secretariat|website=www.mha.gov.in|date=26 July 1979}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2131622/indian-armys-first-chief-defence-staff|title=The Indian army's first Chief of Defence Staff|website=tribune.com.pk|date=7 January 2020}}</ref>


==History==
==Description==
[[File:Secretariat Building South Block.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Secretariat Building, New Delhi|South Block, Central Secretariat]], [[New Delhi]] - where the CDS is seated.]]


The position was first officially suggested in 1999 following the [[Kargil War]] through the recommendations of the [[Kargil Review Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-finally-get-chief-of-defence-staff-20-yrs-after-it-was-mooted/articleshow/70693751.cms|title=India to finally get chief of defence staff, 20 yrs after it was mooted|last=Pandit|first=Rajat|date=16 August 2016|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-top-post-its-promise-and-peril/article29184760.ece|title=A top post, its promise and peril|last=Mukherjee|first=Anit|date=2019-08-21|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-08-25|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Although a long-talked-about position in India,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/where-is-indias-chief-of-defence-staff-/articleshow/65975999.cms|title=Where is India's Chief of Defence Staff ?|last=Kanwal|first=Gurmeet|date=2018-09-27|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/modi-must-appoint-chief-of-defence-staff-and-prove-indias-political-class-isnt-fearful/252274/|title=Modi must appoint chief of defence staff – and prove India's political class isn't fearful|last=Panag|first=Lt Gen H S|date=20 June 2019|website=The Print|access-date=15 August 2019}}</ref> the official call was made public by [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Narendra Modi]] during his [[Independence Day (India)|Independence Day]] speech on 15 August 2019 at [[Red Fort]], New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-narendra-modi-announces-chief-of-defence-staff-independence-day-speech-1581006-2019-08-15|title=PM Narendra Modi's mega announcement: India will now have Chief of Defence Staff|date=15 August 2019|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/73rd-independence-day-2019-live-updates/story-5tbFeVZEMAVCOYyHTV6UnM.html|title=Independence Day 2019 Live Updates- India will have a Chief of Defence Staff: PM Modi in I-Day speech|date=2019-08-15|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref> On 24 December 2019, the [[Cabinet Committee on Security]] (CCS) formally announced the creation of the position, a [[Four star General|four-star general]], a tri-service chief, that shall lead the defence forces.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Som|first=Vishnu|date=24 December 2019|editor-last=Srinivasan|editor-first=Chandrashekar|title=India To Get Its First Chief of Defence Staff, Will Be A 4-Star General|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/chief-of-defence-staff-india-to-get-its-first-chief-of-defence-staff-announcement-likely-soon-2153735|access-date=2019-12-24|website=NDTV}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=P|first=Rajat|date=24 December 2019|title=India to now get chief of defence staff, will be a 4-star general|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-now-get-chief-of-defence-staff-will-be-a-4-star-general/articleshow/72954105.cms|access-date=2019-12-24|website=The Times of India}}</ref>
===Mandate===
As the principal military authority of the Indian Armed Forces, the CDS bears responsibility for overseeing two distinct bodies, namely, the [[Chiefs of Staff Committee (India)|Chiefs of Staff Committee]] (COSC) and the [[Department of Military Affairs]] (DMA).<ref name="PIB_2">{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1597425|title=Cabinet approves creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of four star General|website=pib.gov.in|date=24 December 2019}}</ref>


The post of [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman of the Chief of Staff Committee]] (Chairman-CoSC) had been formed in 1947 as a precursor to the post of CDS, responsible for advice to the Defence Minister on all military matters.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rej|first=Abhijan|url=https://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/ORF_Occasional_Paper_Joint_Doctrine.pdf|title=India's Joint Doctrine: A Lost Opportunity|last2=Joshi|first2=Shashank|publisher=[[Observer Research Foundation]]|year=2018|isbn=9789387407497|pages=8}}</ref><ref name="Mehra_relinquishes">{{cite web|date=31 January 1976|title=Mehra Relinquishes Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairmanship|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1976-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1976-01-31_041.pdf|access-date=27 January 2020|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive}}</ref> The senior-most of the three service chiefs would be appointed Chairman CoSC.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh|first=Rahul|date=2019-12-24|title=Govt sets up Dept of Military Affairs to be headed by Chief of Defence Staff|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-sets-up-dept-of-military-affairs-to-be-headed-by-chief-of-defence-staff/story-eIC4HPIpbexJgGtpEfMaLI.html|access-date=2020-09-15|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>
==== Chiefs of Staff Committee ====
The COSC is an inter-service syndicate of the armed forces, which functions as a principal advisory body dealing with matters related to inter-service coordination, policy formulation, and strategy development. It comprises the chiefs of the three armed services, in addition to the CDS, who acts as its ''Permanent Chairman'', responsible for the following duties:<ref name="PIB_2"/>
* Acting as the principal military advisor to the [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]] on all affairs related to inter-service integration, coherence, and functioning.<ref name="PIB_1"/>
* Participating as a member of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Minister of Defence and Defence Planning Committee chaired by [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]].<ref name="PIB_2"/>
* Exercising command authority over specific inter-service organizations/agencies/commands, namely, the [[Defence Cyber Agency]] (DCyA), the [[Defence Space Agency]], and the [[Armed Forces Special Operations Division]] vis-à-vis the [[Integrated Defence Staff]] (IDS).<ref name="DPG_1"/>
* Functioning as the Military Adviser to the [[Nuclear Command Authority (India)|Nuclear Command Authority]].<ref name="PIB_2"/>
* Ensuring jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs, and maintenance of the three armed services.<ref name="PIB_2"/><ref name="DPG_1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.delhipolicygroup.org/publication/policy-briefs/institution-of-the-chief-of-defence-staff-evaluating-the-first-year.html|title=Institution of the Chief of Defence Staff: Evaluating the First Year|website=www.delhipolicygroup.org|date=1 January 2021}}</ref>
* Assigning inter-service prioritisation to capital acquisition proposals based on the anticipated budget. And ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure and rationalise it through jointness amongst the services.<ref name="PIB_2"/>
* Implementing Five-Year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan and Two-Year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans, as a follow-up of Integrated Capability Development Plan.<ref name="PIB_2"/>


General [[K. V. Krishna Rao]] advanced creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in June 1982.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Elkin|first=Jerrold F.|last2=Ritezel|first2=W. Andrew|date=1984|title=The Debate on Restructuring India's Higher Defense Organization|journal=Asian Survey|volume=24|issue=10|pages=1069–1085|doi=10.2307/2644220|issn=0004-4687|jstor=2644220}}</ref> However, officially, it was only following the [[Kargil Review Committee]]'s recommendation in 1999 that the Group of Ministers (GoM) officially proposed the creation of the post of CDS in 2001.<ref name=":3" /> Following committees, including the [[Naresh Chandra]] task force in 2012 and the Lieutenant General D. B. Shekatkar Committee in 2016, also proposed their own versions of a CDS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-have-new-post-of-chief-of-defence-staff-pm-modi/articleshow/70686396.cms|title=PM Modi: India to have new post of Chief of Defence Staff|last=P|first=Rajat|date=15 August 2019|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref> The process of consulting all parties involved began in 2006. In 2017, the [[Cabinet Committee on Security]] started the process of making the final decision related to the creation of a post for the CDS.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-may-soon-have-chief-of-defence-staff/articleshow/49762327.cms|title=India may soon have Chief of Defence Staff|last=Pubby|first=Manu|date=2018-07-11|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/ccs-to-take-final-decision-on-chief-of-defence-staff-post-3158222.html|title=CCS to take final decision on Chief of Defence Staff post|last=PTI|date=15 December 2016|website=Firstpost|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://idsa.in/idsacomments/ChiefofDefenceStaffmustbeAppointedImmediately_gkanwal_121213|title=Chief of Defence Staff must be Appointed Immediately|last=Kanwal|first=Brig Gurmeet|date=12 December 2013|website=[[Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses]]|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref>
====Department of Military Affairs====
The DMA is one of the five departments within the Ministry of Defence, which functions as a joint civilian-cum-military syndicate tasked with overseeing administrative duties related to the headquarters of the three armed services, the [[Integrated Defence Staff]] (IDS) plus the [[Territorial Army (India)|Territorial Army]], and procurement initiatives except for capital acquisitions.<ref name="Print_1"/> Herein, the CDS acts as the department's ''ex-officio'' Secretary, responsible for the following duties:<ref name="PIB_2"/>
*Answering [[Parliament of India|Parliament]] on all affairs exclusively related to the armed forces.<ref name="Print_1">{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/modi-govt-creating-department-of-military-affairs-with-cds-a-big-bonus/340495/|title=CDS was needed. But the Modi government's creation Department of Military Affairs is a big bonus|website=theprint.in|date=25 December 2019}}</ref>
*Facilitating the restructuring of service-specific military commands to ensure the optimal utilization of resources by fostering jointness in operations, principally through the establishment of [[Indian Armed Forces Tri-Service Commands|joint-service theatre commands]].<ref name="PIB_2"/>
*Promoting [[jointness]] in procurement, training, and staffing for the three armed services through joint planning and integration of their respective requirements.<ref name="PIB_2"/>


The matter had opposition over the years on various fronts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/army-chief-bipin-rawat-may-be-first-chief-of-defence-staff-1565844486769.html|title=Army chief Bipin Rawat may be first chief of defence staff|last=Roche|first=Elizabeth|date=15 August 2019|website=Livemint|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref> After the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]], [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]], Air Chief Marshal [[Pratap Chandra Lal]], had threatened to quit if the post of CDS was created.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Sinha|first=S.K.|title=The Chief of Defence Staff|url=https://idsa.in/system/files/jds_1_1_sksinha.pdf|journal=Journal of Defence Studies|volume=1|issue=1|pages=133–137|via=Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses}}</ref> There were also fears that such a post would be too powerful.<ref name=":0" /> In 2001 the government was on the brink of making the then [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]] Admiral, [[Sushil Kumar (admiral)|Sushil Kumar]], the CDS. A date had been fixed including other formalities. However, due to turf wars, among other reasons, the idea was scrapped.<ref name=":2" />
===Ambiguities===
Although the CDS is recognized as the principal authority in the armed forces, the office has been noted to have several ambiguities as to its perceived powers and roles:
* The Ministry of Defence is categorized into five departments, of which the Defence Secretary heads the Department of Defence, whilst the CDS heads the Department of Military Affairs. However, the Cabinet Secretariat – Manual of Office Procedures, from which the Defence Secretary's powers are derived, states that the office "is the principal adviser of the Minister on all matters of policy and administration within his Ministry/Department, and his responsibility is complete and undivided";{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} thus, the manual would have indicated the Defence Secretary the officer responsible for the Ministry of Defence's five departments, including the Department of Military Affairs, which obscures the clarity of the powers held by the CDS.<ref name="Clarity">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thepeninsula.org.in/2021/01/25/chief-of-defence-staff-a-year-later-lack-of-clarity-and-an-ambiguous-mandate/|title=Chief of Defence Staff, a year later: Lack of Clarity and an ambiguous Mandate|website=www.thepeninsula.org.in|date=25 January 2021}}</ref>
* The mandate for defence of India lies with the Department of Defence but procurement initiatives except capital acquisitions lies with CDS-led Department of Military Affairs; this gives birth to a dichotomy where on one hand CDS is expected to prioritise the expenditure between the three services but the wherewithal still lies with the Defence Secretary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.drishtiias.com/printpdf/the-big-picture-chief-of-defence-staff-role-and-responsibility|title=The Big Picture: Chief of Defence Staff: Role and Responsibility|website=www.drishtiias.com}}</ref>


Following the Prime Minister's announcement, a committee was announced on 23 August 2019 under the [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]], consisting of the [[Cabinet Secretary of India|Cabinet Secretary]], the [[Defence Secretary of India|Defence Secretary]] and the [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman of the Chief of Staff Committee]] (C-COSC) among others, to make final the powers of the CDS. The committee was to submit its report within six weeks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/committee-under-nsa-to-set-terms-for-cds-position/story-li74CKhSRIoBAT6zQlKxGI.html|title=NSA Ajit Doval-led panel to set terms for Chief of Defence Staff position|last=Shishir|first=Gupta|date=2019-08-23|website=Hindustan Times|access-date=2019-08-25}}</ref> By November 2019, government sources reported the committee had largely completed its tasks and would release an official charter and enabling framework for the post of CDS by mid-December.<ref name="direct">{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-chief-of-defence-staff-will-direct-three-service-chiefs/story-r9sHOKiMmIoYemSlXODWPK.html|title=India's first Chief of Defence Staff will direct three service chiefs|last1=Gupta|first1=Shishir|date=19 November 2019|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=24 November 2019}}</ref> On 24 December, the [[Cabinet Committee on Security]] (CCS) formally established the post of Chief of Defence Staff, a [[Four star General|four-star general]], a tri-service Chief, that shall lead the defence forces as well as play the role of head of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />
===Promotion===
[[File:CDS General Bipin Rawat with COAS General Manoj Mukund Naravane, CNS Admiral Karambir Singh and CAS Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria after the ceremonial Guard of Honour, in New Delhi on January 01, 2020.jpg|thumb|right|General Bipin Rawat the first CDS, second-from-right, along with the three service chiefs in January 2020; his later ''acting successor'', General M. M. Naravane, is seen far-left.]]


==Description of the post==
The office of CDS has customarily been held by a [[Military star ranking|four-star officer]] from the three-armed services, specifically, either a [[General (India)|general]], [[Admiral (India)|admiral]], or [[Air chief marshal (India)|air chief marshal]].<ref name="ORF1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/cds-the-long-and-arduous-road-ahead-59717|title=CDS: The long and arduous road ahead|website=www.orfonline.org|date=31 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/cabinet-committee-on-security-clears-creation-of-chief-of-defence-staff-post/articleshow/72951813.cms?from=mdr|title=Cabinet Committee on Security clears Chief of Defence Staff post: Here are all the details|website=economictimes.indiatimes.com|date=24 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318122847/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/cabinet-committee-on-security-clears-creation-of-chief-of-defence-staff-post/articleshow/72951813.cms?from=mdr |archive-date=18 March 2024 }}</ref> The appointment of the CDS is initiated by [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]], wherein the résumés of candidates recommended by the armed services are submitted for review, before being sent to the [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]].<ref name="Seniority1">{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/security/heres-why-the-appointment-of-indias-second-cds-is-likely-to-be-deferred-for-a-while|title=Here's Why the Appointment of India's Second CDS Is Likely to Be Deferred for a While|website=thewire.in|date=13 January 2022}}</ref>
{{see also|Jointness and integration in the Indian military}}


As the Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, CDS will perform the following functions:<ref name=":6" />
At the time of the office's creation, no fixed structure for an [[order of succession]] existed; thus, in the formative period of the office's existence, the senior-most service chief was recommended for appointment; the first instance of this was General [[Bipin Rawat]], the then Chief of the Army Staff and senior-most amongst the three service chiefs.<ref name="Seniority1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://raksha-anirveda.com/cds-by-january-with-army-chief-general-rawat-front-runner/|title=CDS by January with Army Chief General Rawat Front Runner|website=raksha-anirveda.com|date=21 November 2019}}</ref> However, Rawat's [[2021 Indian Air Force Mil Mi-17 crash|unexpected death in 2021]] whilst in tenure exposed this flaw and left the office vacant for nine months before a successor. Accordingly, in June 2022, the Ministry of Defence established a permanent set of appointment-cum-succession rules, stating that four-star and three-star officers from the armed services, notwithstanding their status of being active or retired, would be deemed eligible candidates to be appointed, provided they hadn't attained the age of 62 at the time of appointment.<ref name="MoD">{{Cite web|url=https://images.assettype.com/barandbench/2022-06/56494444-f00a-482f-8f12-f2a18091aa08/Ministry_of_Defence_Notifications__CDS_.pdf|title=Ministry of Defence (Department of Defence) Notification|website=images.assettype.com|date=6 June 2022}}</ref>
* It comprises one Additional Secretary and five Joint Secretaries.
* Implementing weapons procurement procedures.
* Integrating operations of the Army, Air Force and Navy.
* Bring about [[jointness]] and ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure in the three Services.
* Apart from being the military advisor for the government, the CDS also heads the [[Department of Military Affairs (India)|Department of Military Affairs]].
* Authority to create theatre commands as and when needed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/seamless-efficacy-indias-first-integrated-air-defence-command-by-june-will-be-headed-by-3-star-iaf-officer/553970|title=India's first integrated Air Defence Command by June, will be headed by 3-star IAF officer|date=2020-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cds-aims-to-set-up-air-defence-command-by-june-2020-1646822-2020-02-15|title=CDS aims to set up Air Defence Command by June 2020|date=2020-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsonair.com/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=381457|title=CDS Gen Bipin Rawat announces plan to create Peninsula Command|date=2020-02-17}}</ref>
* Command tri-service agencies, organisations, and commands including those related to [[Defence Cyber Agency|cyber]] and [[Defence Space Agency|space]].
* CDS will be member of Defence Acquisition Council and [[Defence Planning Committee]]
* Function as the Military Advisor to the [[Nuclear Command Authority (India)|Nuclear Command Authority]].
* Bring about reforms in the functioning of three services aimed at augmenting combat capabilities of the Armed Forces by reducing wasteful expenditure.
* Assign inter-services prioritisation to capital acquisition proposals.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1597425|title=Cabinet approves creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of four star General|date=24 December 2019|website=Press Information Bureau, Government of India|access-date=2019-12-25}}</ref>


The CDS's salary and perquisites will be same as the service chiefs. The CDS will come under the [[Right to Information Act, 2005|Right to Information Act]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/chief-of-defence-staff-to-come-under-rti-act-nsa-led-panel-submits-report/articleshow/72340708.cms|title=Chief of defence staff to come under RTI Act; NSA-led panel submits report|last=PTI|last2=2019|date=3 December 2019|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-12-03}}</ref>
As of 2022, the appointment regulations for CDS, whilst the same for the three services, are classified distinctively, namely:
* Indian Army: ''Army (Amendment) Rules, 2022''<ref name="MoD"/>
* Indian Navy: ''Naval Ceremonial, Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous (Amendment) Regulations, 2022''<ref name="MoD"/>
* Indian Air Force: ''Air Force (Amendment) Regulations, 2022''<ref name="MoD"/>


==Uniform and insignia==
The first time the regulations were actively exercised was in the appointment of Lieutenant General [[Anil Chauhan]] in September 2022; Chauhan, who had retired in May 2021, was recalled to service and promoted to general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/government-appoints-lt-general-anil-chauhan-retired-as-chief-of-defence-staff-8178843/|title=Lt Gen Anil Chauhan, former Army Commander, is new CDS|website=indianexpress.com|date=29 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/security/cds-lieutenant-general-anil-chauhan-questions|title=Why the Elevation of Lt Gen. Anil Chauhan as CDS Is Extraordinary|website=thewire.in|date=29 September 2022}}</ref>
[[File:Rank insignia for India CDS.svg|thumb|100px|Rank insignia of Chief of Defence Staff]]
While the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) wears the appropriately coloured uniform of their parent service, the gold-wreathed tri-service emblem of the Indian Armed Forces (the Naval anchor, crossed Army swords and Air Force eagle, all surmounted by the [[State Emblem of India|national emblem of India]]) is used in place of service insignia and unit emblems. The wreathed tri-service emblem is also substituted for service cap badges, uniform button and belt badge service insignia, shoulder flashes and the shoulder rank badges of a four-star officer with The four-star [[gorget patches]] similar to that used by a service chief. While the car pennant is that of the officer's parent service, the tri-service emblem is substituted for the rank stars.<ref>{{cite news |author=Bhalla, Abhishek |title=Here is what CDS Gen Bipin Rawat's new uniform will look like |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/here-is-what-cds-gen-bipin-rawat-s-new-uniform-will-look-like-1632869-2019-12-31 |access-date=1 January 2020 |work=India Today |date=31 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Army's Sword, IAF's Eagle and Navy's Anchor on Insignia of India's First CDS Bipin Rawat |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/armys-sword-iafs-eagle-and-navys-anchor-on-insignia-as-bipin-rawat-takes-charge-as-indias-first-cds-2441909.html |access-date=1 January 2020 |work=News18 |date=1 January 2020}}</ref>


==Appointees==
===Tenure===
* {{note label|d|d|d}} Died in Office
Under an initial set of regulations established by the Ministry of Defence in December 2019,<ref name="2019_Reg">{{Cite web|url=https://www.staffnews.in/2020/01/gazette-notification-chief-of-defence-staff-office-tenure-retirement-age-etc.html|title=Gazette Notification – Chief of Defence Staff – Office, Tenure, Retirement Age etc.|website=www.staffnews.in|date=10 January 2020}}</ref> the service chiefs from the three services, namely, the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]], the [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]] and the [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]], having completed their mandated three-year tenure or having attained the age of 62, were deemed eligible to be appointed CDS, with the chosen designate tenuring the office to the maximum deemed age of 65; unlike the service chiefs, the CDS has no fixed tenure, but only an upper age limit.<ref name="2019_Reg"/> The aforementioned 2022 regulations expanded the office's reach, allowing both active and retired officers to occupy the office until the age of 65.<ref name="MoD"/>
{{Officeholder table start
 
| showorder          = y
Previously, in the event of an abrupt stoppage during the incumbent's tenure - by termination, resignation or sudden demise, the senior-most service chief was made acting-COSC and by extension, an ''[[Ex officio member|ex officio]]''-CDS until a suitable successor was appointed; this situation has occurred only once, when General [[Manoj Mukund Naravane]], then-Chief of the Army Staff, was made acting-COSC upon the death of General Rawat, the then-incumbent CDS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/gen-naravane-takes-charge-as-chairman-chiefs-of-staff-committee-121121600328_1.html|title=Gen Naravane takes charge as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee|website=www.business-standard.com|date=16 December 2021}}</ref>
| showimage          = y
 
| image_title        = Portrait
==Insignia==
| officeholder_title = Chief of Defence Staff
===Command flag===
| showtermlenght    = y
The office of CDS maintains a separate [[Flag officer|command flag]], regardless of the incumbent appointee's parent service, symbolizing the independence of the position and its associated authority from the armed services.<ref name="Description">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pw.live/exams/defence/cds-of-india/|title=CDS of India, Significance, Roles and Responsibilities|website=www.pw.live|date=9 February 2024}}</ref> The flag comprising a [[maroon]] field - representing the inter-service jointness, furnished with the [[Flag of India|National Flag of India]] in the canton and the ''inter-service insignia'' of the Indian Armed Forces - comprising [[Indian Army|twin-crossed swords]], an [[Indian Navy|unfouled anchor]] and an [[Indian Air Force|eagle]] surrounded by an [[Oak leaf cluster|oak wreath]] in gold-furnishing.<ref name="Design"/> Similar to that of the service chiefs, this particular command flag is preferably displayed on the CDS's official car and at his office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/general-bipin-rawats-official-car-bears-new-flag20200101150024/|title=General Bipin Rawat's official car bears new flag|website=www.aninews.in|date=1 January 2020}}</ref>
| showparty          = n
 
| showdefencebranch  = y
===Accoutrements===
| showref            = y
Whilst the CDS is a rotational appointment held by officers drawn from the three armed services, the CDS is an independent entity, thus mandating a distinct set of accoutrements.<ref name="Uniform"/> Notably, the CDS uniform allows the appointee to retain certain paraphernalia, such as the uniform of the appointee's parent service and its associated [[Awards and decorations of the Indian Armed Forces|decorations]]; nonetheless, it lacks a [[lanyard]], unlike the uniforms of the service chiefs.<ref name="Design"/> In addition, the office's uniform has several distinct emendations, the primary of which are undermentioned:<ref name="Design"/>
| showaltofficeholder = y
 
| showpreviousoffice = y
{| class="wikitable"
| alt_officeholder_title = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
|-
| defence_branch_title = Service
! width=5%|Item
! width=10%|Image
! width=40%|Description
|-
|[[Epaulette]]
|[[File:Rank insignia for India CDS.svg|35px|centre]]
|[[Maroon]] shoulder epaulette attached with the [[State Emblem of India]] atop the inter-service insignia of the Indian Armed Forces surrounded by an [[Oak leaf cluster|oak wreath]], in gold-furnishing.<ref name="Uniform">{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/defence/tri-services-insignia-no-lanyard-what-new-chief-of-defence-staffs-uniform-looks-like/342959/|title=Tri-services insignia, no lanyard – what new Chief of Defence Staff's uniform looks like|website=theprint.in|date=31 December 2019}}</ref>
|-
|[[Peaked cap|Service cap]]
|[[File:Indian CDS Peak Cap.jpg|120px|centre]]
|Peak cap of the appointee's parent service, with an additional maroon band attached with the inter-service insignia surrounded by an oak wreath, in gold-furnishing.<ref name="Design">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/Dec/31/swords-eagle-anchor-gen-bipin-rawat-to-don-new-uniform-as-cds-2083231.html|title=Swords, eagle, anchor: Gen Bipin Rawat to don new uniform as CDS|website=www.newindianexpress.com|date=1 January 2020}}</ref>
|-
|[[Belt buckle]]
|[[File:Indian CDS Belt Buckle.jpg|120px|centre]]
|[[Silver]] buckle designed with the inter-service insignia surrounded by an oak wreath, in gold-furnishing.<ref name="Uniform"/>
|-
|[[Button]]
|[[File:Indian CDS Buttons.jpg|120px|centre]]
|Gold-colored button furnished solely with inter-service insignia.<ref name="Uniform"/>
|}
 
== Appointees ==
The undermentioned table chronicles the appointees to the office of Chief of Defence Staff beginning from 1 January 2020 to the present-day. Ranks and honors are as at the completion of their tenure.
;Key
{{dagger}} denotes person who died in office
 
<nowiki>*</nowiki> denotes [[veteran]] recalled to active service
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! Portrait
! Name
! Assumed office
!Left office
!Time in office
! Service branch
!  Preceding office
! {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
{{Officeholder table
| order                  = 1
| image                  = General Bipin Rawat, India's 1st Chief of Defence Staff.jpg
| military_rank          = [[General (India)|General]]
| officeholder          = [[Bipin Rawat]]<br />{{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|UYSM|AVSM|YSM|SM|VSM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort      = Rawat, Bipin
| born_year              = 1958
| died_year              = 2021
| died                  = y
| term_start            = 1 January 2020
| term_end              = [[2021 Indian Air Force Mil Mi-17 crash|8 December 2021]]
| timeinoffice          = {{ayd|2020|01|01|2021|12|08}}
| defence_branch        = {{army|India}}
| alt_officeholder      = [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]] <br />(31 December 2016 – 31 December 2019)
| alt_officeholder_sort  =
| alt_officeholder_party =
| ref                    = <ref name="ndtv">{{Cite web|last=Ranjan|first=Rajeev|date=31 December 2019|editor-last=Nair|editor-first=Arun|title=General Bipin Rawat took over as Chief of Defence Staff, US Congratulates Him|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/general-bipin-rawat-to-be-chief-of-defence-staff-us-congratulates-him-2156608|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231052118/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/general-bipin-rawat-to-be-chief-of-defence-staff-us-congratulates-him-2156608|archive-date=31 December 2019|access-date=2019-12-31|website=NDTV}}</ref><ref name=cds>{{Cite web|date=8 December 2021|access-date=8 December 2021 |title=Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, wife among 13 killed in chopper crash|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/army-chopper-crashes-in-tamil-nadu-bipin-rawat-was-reportedly-on-board/articleshow/88161974.cms|website=The Economic Times}}</ref>
}}
}}
|-
! colspan=9| Vacant<br />{{small|(9 December 2021–29 September 2022)}}
{{Officeholder table
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| order                 = 2
| image             = Bipin Rawat Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).jpg
| image                 = Anil Chauhan Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).jpg
| military_rank     = [[General (India)|General]]
| military_rank         = [[General (India)|General]]
| officeholder     = [[Bipin Rawat]]<br />{{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|UYSM|AVSM|YSM|SM|VSM|ADC}}
| officeholder           = [[Anil Chauhan]] <br />{{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|UYSM|AVSM|SM|VSM}}
| officeholder_sort =  
| officeholder_sort     = Chauhan, Anil
| officeholder_note =
| born_year             = 1961*
| born_year         = 1958
| died_year             =  
| died_year         = 2021
| died                  = n
| term_start        = 1 January 2020
| term_start            = 30 September 2022*
| term_end          = 8 December 2021{{ref label|d|d|d}}
| timeinoffice           = {{ayd|2022|09|30}}
| timeinoffice     = {{ayd|2020|01|01|2021|12|08}}
| defence_branch         = {{army|India}}
| defence_branch   = {{army|India}}
| alt_officeholder       = [[Eastern Command (India)|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command]]<br />(1 September 2019 – 31 May 2021)
| alt_officeholder = [[Rajnath Singh]]
| alt_officeholder_sort  =
| alt_officeholder_party =  
| alt_officeholder_party =  
| alt_officeholder_sort = Singh, Rajnath
| ref                    = <ref>{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1863084|title=Government appoints Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)|publisher=PIB|date=2022-09-28}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1863084|title=Government appoints Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)|access-date=28 September 2022}}</ref>
| previous_office = [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]
| ref              =<ref name="ndtv"/>
}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
|}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align : center"
== Reforms ==
|-
Among the first reforms proposed by the new CDS was the creation of an [[Air Defence Command (India)|Air Defence Command]].<ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2020-01-02|title=Bipin Rawat holds meeting on creating Air Defence Command|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bipin-rawat-holds-meeting-on-creating-air-defence-command/article30463512.ece|access-date=2020-02-17|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Following the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]], the CDS emphasised the need to minimise costly defence imports, give a chance to [[Make in India|domestic production]] even with only 70% of the general staff qualitative requirements, and not 'misrepresent operational requirements'.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-05-10|title=CDS General Bipin Rawat reiterates ‘Make in India’ for armed forces|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/cds-general-bipin-rawat-reiterates-make-in-india-for-armed-forces/articleshow/75653805.cms|access-date=2020-05-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=P|first=Rajat|date=10 May 2020|title=CDS Bipin Rawat: Forces must shun imports, go for ‘Make In India’, says Gen Bipin Rawat {{!}} India News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/forces-must-shun-imports-go-for-make-in-india-says-gen-bipin-rawat/articleshow/75652962.cms|access-date=2020-05-10|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> In February 2020, the CDS announced the creation of joint military commands and theatre commands, "[[Integrated Theatre Command|Integrated Theatre Commands]]"; and that the process of theaterisation will be complete in a number of years.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|date=17 February 2020|title=CDS General Rawat unveils big ticket military reform agenda|work=The Economic Times|agency=PTI|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/cds-general-rawat-unveils-big-ticket-military-reform-agenda/articleshow/74176340.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2020-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dutta|first=Amrita Nayak|date=2020-02-04|title=India's joint military theatre command process to finish in 3 years, says CDS Bipin Rawat|url=https://theprint.in/defence/indias-joint-military-theatre-command-process-to-finish-in-3-years-says-cds-bipin-rawat/359711/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}</ref> Each command will have units from Army, Navy and Air-force working in synergy with each other.<ref name=":7" /> In September 2021, the CDS aired views on a prospective rocket or missile force.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-17|title=EXPLAINED: What Is A Rocket Force, Which Gen Rawat Says India Needs To Fight Battles Of The Future|url=https://www.news18.com/news/explainers/explained-what-is-a-rocket-force-which-gen-rawat-says-india-needs-to-fight-battles-of-the-future-4212896.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-22|website=News18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|authors=PTI|date=15 September 2021|title=India looking at creating rocket force: CDS Gen Rawat|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-looking-at-creating-rocket-force-cds-gen-rawat/articleshow/86241305.cms|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-22|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>
|Colspan=2|'''Number of CDS by branches of service'''  
|-
!Branch
!Count
|-
|{{army|India}}
|2
|-
|{{navy|India}}
|0
|-
|{{air force|India}}
|0
|}


== See also ==
== See also ==
===Inter-service offices===
* [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
* [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
* [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff]]
* [[Chief of Integrated Defence Staff]]
* [[Commander-in-Chief, India|Commander-in-Chief of India]]
 
===Other offices of the Indian Armed Forces===
* [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]
* [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]]
* [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]]
 
===International equivalents===
* [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]], [[British Armed Forces]]
* [[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee]], [[Pakistan Armed Forces]]
* [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]], [[United States Armed Forces]]


== References ==
== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}
{{notelist}}
 
== Further reading ==
{{refbegin|35em}}
;Books
* {{Cite book|last=Mukherjee|first=Anit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=45KwDwAAQBAJ|title=The Absent Dialogue: Politicians, Bureaucrats, and the Military in India|date=2019|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-090590-3|language=en}}
 
;Think-tanks and journals
* {{Cite web|last=Patil|first=Sameer|date=2021-12-16|title=The legacy of India's first CDS|url=https://www.gatewayhouse.in/the-legacy-of-indias-first-cds/|website=|publisher=Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Kumar|first=Brig (Retd) V Jai|date=12 January 2021|editor-last=Bajwa|editor-first=Lt Gen JS|title=Chief of Defence Staff – Game Changer or Damp Squib?|url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/chief-of-defence-staff-game-changer-or-damp-squib/|journal=Indian Defence Review|volume=36|issue=1}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Ahuja|first=Anil|date=1 January 2021|title=Institution of the Chief of Defence Staff: Evaluating the First Year|url=https://www.delhipolicygroup.org/uploads_dpg/publication_file/institution-of-the-chief-of-defence-staff-evaluating-the-first-year-2145.pdf|journal=DPG Policy Brief|publisher=Delhi Policy Group|volume=6|issue=1}}
* {{Citation|last=Venkataraman|first=R|title=Chief of Defence Staff, a year later: Lack of Clarity and an ambiguous Mandate|date=25 January 2021|url=https://www.thepeninsula.org.in/2021/01/25/chief-of-defence-staff-a-year-later-lack-of-clarity-and-an-ambiguous-mandate/?print=pdf|publisher=The Peninsula Foundation, Tamil Nadu}}


=== Citation ===
;Articles
{{reflist}}
* {{Cite web|last=Panag|first=Lt Gen H S|author-link=H. S. Panag|date=20 June 2019|title=Modi must appoint chief of defence staff – and prove India's political class isn't fearful|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/modi-must-appoint-chief-of-defence-staff-and-prove-indias-political-class-isnt-fearful/252274/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815035745/https://theprint.in/opinion/modi-must-appoint-chief-of-defence-staff-and-prove-indias-political-class-isnt-fearful/252274/|archive-date=15 August 2019|website=The Print}}
{{refend}}


== External links ==
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 10:51, 18 March 2026


Chief of Defence Staff
Flag of the Chief of Defence Staff
Incumbent
General Anil Chauhan
PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM
since 30 September 2022
Indian Armed Forces
TypeChief of Defence
StatusOverall professional head of the Indian Armed Forces.
AbbreviationCDS
Member of
Reports to President of India
Prime Minister of India
Minister of Defence
ResidenceResidence 3, Kamraj Ln, Meena Bagh, Krishna Manon Lane Area, New Delhi
SeatRoom No 104. Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence, South Block, Secretariat Building, New Delhi
AppointerAppointments Committee of the Cabinet
President of India
Term lengthNo fixed duration, only from appointment till the age of 65.[1]
Formation1 January 2020; 6 years ago (2020-01-01)
First holderGeneral Bipin Rawat, PVSM UYSM AVSM YSM SM VSM ADC
Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC)
Salary₹250,000 (US$3,500) monthly[2][3]
Websiteids.nic.in/cds.php

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the principal military authority and senior-most appointment of the Indian Armed Forces.[4] Deemed the overall professional head of India’s three armed services, namely, the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, the CDS is the highest-ranking military officer in service, responsible for overseeing inter-service jointness across all disciplines related to military functioning.[5] Primarily, the office operates on a status of primus inter pares i.e., first among equals with the chiefs of the three services, and functions as the Permanent-Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) – the inter-service syndicate responsible for ensuring the establishment and preservation of military integration.[6]

Statutorily, the CDS is the Secretary to the Government of India of the Department of Military Affairs, the civil-cum-military entity responsible for fostering professional coordination between the services, and by extension, is also the principal military advisor to the nation’s civilian leadership i.e., the Ministry of Defence on affairs privy to inter-service integration; as such, the office exists primarily as an advisor and adjudicator position, endowed with no operational command control.[7]

Since its formal creation in 2020, the CDS has been officiated on a rotational basis by four-star officers nominated from any of the three services.[6] Domestically, the office ranks 12th-overall in the Indian order of precedence, and is the status-equivalent of the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff; internationally, it is identical to the United Kingdom's Chief of the Defence Staff with similar functions to Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces.[8][9]

Description[edit | edit source]

The South Block, Central Secretariat, New Delhi - where the CDS is seated.

Mandate[edit | edit source]

As the principal military authority of the Indian Armed Forces, the CDS bears responsibility for overseeing two distinct bodies, namely, the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).[10]

Chiefs of Staff Committee[edit | edit source]

The COSC is an inter-service syndicate of the armed forces, which functions as a principal advisory body dealing with matters related to inter-service coordination, policy formulation, and strategy development. It comprises the chiefs of the three armed services, in addition to the CDS, who acts as its Permanent Chairman, responsible for the following duties:[10]

  • Acting as the principal military advisor to the Minister of Defence on all affairs related to inter-service integration, coherence, and functioning.[7]
  • Participating as a member of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Minister of Defence and Defence Planning Committee chaired by National Security Advisor.[10]
  • Exercising command authority over specific inter-service organizations/agencies/commands, namely, the Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA), the Defence Space Agency, and the Armed Forces Special Operations Division vis-à-vis the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS).[11]
  • Functioning as the Military Adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority.[10]
  • Ensuring jointness in operation, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs, and maintenance of the three armed services.[10][11]
  • Assigning inter-service prioritisation to capital acquisition proposals based on the anticipated budget. And ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure and rationalise it through jointness amongst the services.[10]
  • Implementing Five-Year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan and Two-Year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans, as a follow-up of Integrated Capability Development Plan.[10]

Department of Military Affairs[edit | edit source]

The DMA is one of the five departments within the Ministry of Defence, which functions as a joint civilian-cum-military syndicate tasked with overseeing administrative duties related to the headquarters of the three armed services, the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) plus the Territorial Army, and procurement initiatives except for capital acquisitions.[12] Herein, the CDS acts as the department's ex-officio Secretary, responsible for the following duties:[10]

  • Answering Parliament on all affairs exclusively related to the armed forces.[12]
  • Facilitating the restructuring of service-specific military commands to ensure the optimal utilization of resources by fostering jointness in operations, principally through the establishment of joint-service theatre commands.[10]
  • Promoting jointness in procurement, training, and staffing for the three armed services through joint planning and integration of their respective requirements.[10]

Ambiguities[edit | edit source]

Although the CDS is recognized as the principal authority in the armed forces, the office has been noted to have several ambiguities as to its perceived powers and roles:

  • The Ministry of Defence is categorized into five departments, of which the Defence Secretary heads the Department of Defence, whilst the CDS heads the Department of Military Affairs. However, the Cabinet Secretariat – Manual of Office Procedures, from which the Defence Secretary's powers are derived, states that the office "is the principal adviser of the Minister on all matters of policy and administration within his Ministry/Department, and his responsibility is complete and undivided";[citation needed] thus, the manual would have indicated the Defence Secretary the officer responsible for the Ministry of Defence's five departments, including the Department of Military Affairs, which obscures the clarity of the powers held by the CDS.[13]
  • The mandate for defence of India lies with the Department of Defence but procurement initiatives except capital acquisitions lies with CDS-led Department of Military Affairs; this gives birth to a dichotomy where on one hand CDS is expected to prioritise the expenditure between the three services but the wherewithal still lies with the Defence Secretary.[14]

Promotion[edit | edit source]

General Bipin Rawat the first CDS, second-from-right, along with the three service chiefs in January 2020; his later acting successor, General M. M. Naravane, is seen far-left.

The office of CDS has customarily been held by a four-star officer from the three-armed services, specifically, either a general, admiral, or air chief marshal.[6][15] The appointment of the CDS is initiated by Ministry of Defence, wherein the résumés of candidates recommended by the armed services are submitted for review, before being sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.[16]

At the time of the office's creation, no fixed structure for an order of succession existed; thus, in the formative period of the office's existence, the senior-most service chief was recommended for appointment; the first instance of this was General Bipin Rawat, the then Chief of the Army Staff and senior-most amongst the three service chiefs.[16][17] However, Rawat's unexpected death in 2021 whilst in tenure exposed this flaw and left the office vacant for nine months before a successor. Accordingly, in June 2022, the Ministry of Defence established a permanent set of appointment-cum-succession rules, stating that four-star and three-star officers from the armed services, notwithstanding their status of being active or retired, would be deemed eligible candidates to be appointed, provided they hadn't attained the age of 62 at the time of appointment.[18]

As of 2022, the appointment regulations for CDS, whilst the same for the three services, are classified distinctively, namely:

  • Indian Army: Army (Amendment) Rules, 2022[18]
  • Indian Navy: Naval Ceremonial, Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous (Amendment) Regulations, 2022[18]
  • Indian Air Force: Air Force (Amendment) Regulations, 2022[18]

The first time the regulations were actively exercised was in the appointment of Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan in September 2022; Chauhan, who had retired in May 2021, was recalled to service and promoted to general.[19][20]

Tenure[edit | edit source]

Under an initial set of regulations established by the Ministry of Defence in December 2019,[21] the service chiefs from the three services, namely, the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff, having completed their mandated three-year tenure or having attained the age of 62, were deemed eligible to be appointed CDS, with the chosen designate tenuring the office to the maximum deemed age of 65; unlike the service chiefs, the CDS has no fixed tenure, but only an upper age limit.[21] The aforementioned 2022 regulations expanded the office's reach, allowing both active and retired officers to occupy the office until the age of 65.[18]

Previously, in the event of an abrupt stoppage during the incumbent's tenure - by termination, resignation or sudden demise, the senior-most service chief was made acting-COSC and by extension, an ex officio-CDS until a suitable successor was appointed; this situation has occurred only once, when General Manoj Mukund Naravane, then-Chief of the Army Staff, was made acting-COSC upon the death of General Rawat, the then-incumbent CDS.[22]

Insignia[edit | edit source]

Command flag[edit | edit source]

The office of CDS maintains a separate command flag, regardless of the incumbent appointee's parent service, symbolizing the independence of the position and its associated authority from the armed services.[23] The flag comprising a maroon field - representing the inter-service jointness, furnished with the National Flag of India in the canton and the inter-service insignia of the Indian Armed Forces - comprising twin-crossed swords, an unfouled anchor and an eagle surrounded by an oak wreath in gold-furnishing.[24] Similar to that of the service chiefs, this particular command flag is preferably displayed on the CDS's official car and at his office.[25]

Accoutrements[edit | edit source]

Whilst the CDS is a rotational appointment held by officers drawn from the three armed services, the CDS is an independent entity, thus mandating a distinct set of accoutrements.[26] Notably, the CDS uniform allows the appointee to retain certain paraphernalia, such as the uniform of the appointee's parent service and its associated decorations; nonetheless, it lacks a lanyard, unlike the uniforms of the service chiefs.[24] In addition, the office's uniform has several distinct emendations, the primary of which are undermentioned:[24]

Item Image Description
Epaulette
Maroon shoulder epaulette attached with the State Emblem of India atop the inter-service insignia of the Indian Armed Forces surrounded by an oak wreath, in gold-furnishing.[26]
Service cap
Peak cap of the appointee's parent service, with an additional maroon band attached with the inter-service insignia surrounded by an oak wreath, in gold-furnishing.[24]
Belt buckle
Silver buckle designed with the inter-service insignia surrounded by an oak wreath, in gold-furnishing.[26]
Button
Gold-colored button furnished solely with inter-service insignia.[26]

Appointees[edit | edit source]

The undermentioned table chronicles the appointees to the office of Chief of Defence Staff beginning from 1 January 2020 to the present-day. Ranks and honors are as at the completion of their tenure.

Key

dagger denotes person who died in office

* denotes veteran recalled to active service

No. Portrait Name Assumed office Left office Time in office Service branch Preceding office Ref.
1
Bipin Rawat PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Rawat, BipinGeneral
Bipin Rawat
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC
(1958–2021)		1 January 20208 December 2021 †1 year, 341 days Indian ArmyChief of the Army Staff
(31 December 2016 – 31 December 2019)		[27][28]
Vacant
(9 December 2021–29 September 2022)
2
Anil Chauhan PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM
Chauhan, AnilGeneral
Anil Chauhan
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM
(born 1961*)		30 September 2022*Incumbent3 years, 313 days Indian ArmyGeneral Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command
(1 September 2019 – 31 May 2021)		[29][30]
Number of CDS by branches of service
Branch Count
 Indian Army 2
 Indian Navy 0
 Indian Air Force 0

See also[edit | edit source]

Inter-service offices[edit | edit source]

Other offices of the Indian Armed Forces[edit | edit source]

International equivalents[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Services rules amended for Army, Navy and Air Force, CDS can serve till 65". theprint.in. 29 December 2019.
  2. ↑ "Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission of India" (PDF). Seventh Central Pay Commission, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "CDS Salary 2024: Basic Pay Scale, Benefits, Perks & Allowances". www.cheggindia.com. 19 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Chiefs of Armed Forces". www.india.gov.in.
  5. ↑ "Explainer: What India's First Chief of Defence Staff Is Supposed To Do". thewire.in. 31 December 2019.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "CDS: The long and arduous road ahead". www.orfonline.org. 31 December 2019.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Functions of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)". pib.gov.in. 3 February 2020.
  8. ↑ "President's Secretariat" (PDF). www.mha.gov.in. 26 July 1979.
  9. ↑ "The Indian army's first Chief of Defence Staff". tribune.com.pk. 7 January 2020.
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 "Cabinet approves creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of four star General". pib.gov.in. 24 December 2019.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Institution of the Chief of Defence Staff: Evaluating the First Year". www.delhipolicygroup.org. 1 January 2021.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "CDS was needed. But the Modi government's creation Department of Military Affairs is a big bonus". theprint.in. 25 December 2019.
  13. ↑ "Chief of Defence Staff, a year later: Lack of Clarity and an ambiguous Mandate". www.thepeninsula.org.in. 25 January 2021.
  14. ↑ "The Big Picture: Chief of Defence Staff: Role and Responsibility". www.drishtiias.com.
  15. ↑ "Cabinet Committee on Security clears Chief of Defence Staff post: Here are all the details". economictimes.indiatimes.com. 24 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Here's Why the Appointment of India's Second CDS Is Likely to Be Deferred for a While". thewire.in. 13 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "CDS by January with Army Chief General Rawat Front Runner". raksha-anirveda.com. 21 November 2019.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 "Ministry of Defence (Department of Defence) Notification" (PDF). images.assettype.com. 6 June 2022.
  19. ↑ "Lt Gen Anil Chauhan, former Army Commander, is new CDS". indianexpress.com. 29 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "Why the Elevation of Lt Gen. Anil Chauhan as CDS Is Extraordinary". thewire.in. 29 September 2022.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Gazette Notification – Chief of Defence Staff – Office, Tenure, Retirement Age etc". www.staffnews.in. 10 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "Gen Naravane takes charge as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee". www.business-standard.com. 16 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "CDS of India, Significance, Roles and Responsibilities". www.pw.live. 9 February 2024.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 "Swords, eagle, anchor: Gen Bipin Rawat to don new uniform as CDS". www.newindianexpress.com. 1 January 2020.
  25. ↑ "General Bipin Rawat's official car bears new flag". www.aninews.in. 1 January 2020.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 "Tri-services insignia, no lanyard – what new Chief of Defence Staff's uniform looks like". theprint.in. 31 December 2019.
  27. ↑ Ranjan, Rajeev (31 December 2019). Nair, Arun (ed.). "General Bipin Rawat took over as Chief of Defence Staff, US Congratulates Him". NDTV. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  28. ↑ "Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, wife among 13 killed in chopper crash". The Economic Times. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  29. ↑ "Government appoints Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)" (Press release). PIB. 28 September 2022.
  30. ↑ "Government appoints Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)". Retrieved 28 September 2022.

Further reading[edit | edit source]

Books
Think-tanks and journals
Articles

External links[edit | edit source]

Template:Chief of military by country

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