The Ministry of Defense has issued a notification changing the rules for the appointment of Chief of Defense Staff (CDS). Due to changes in the service rules of Army, Navy and Airforce, rules have been issued for serving three star officers along with retired three and four star officers.
The government will consider such officers of the army as eligible for the post of CDS, who take Are working in the post of General or equivalent to General. Or such retired officers who were equivalent to these posts and who have not attained the age of 62 years. The Air Force will be eligible for the post of Air Marshal and Air Chief Marshal. Or such retired officers who retired from these posts and their age is less than 62 years. There are similar rules for the Navy.
According to sources, the government will form a committee of senior commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force for the appointment of CDS. This committee will recommend possible names to the government. After getting approval from the Defense Minister, the names will be sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for consideration, which will take a final decision on the name of the next CDS of India. After that the appointment of a new Chief of Defense Staff is possible.
In 2019, Prime Minister Modi had announced the creation of a CDS post from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day as the chief of the three services. After that the late General Bipin Rawat was appointed as the country’s first CDS on January 1, 2020. This is the post, which directly advises the government about the army. It includes Navy, Air Force and Army.
Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat died in a plane crash. He was going to take part in an event with his wife and several senior army officers from an army helicopter. That’s when this accident happened. Since then no military officer could be made CDS.