Chief Of Defence Staff: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh Hails PM Modi’s Announcement To Create Post For Armed Forces

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) and former army man himself, Captain Amrinder Singh on Friday (16 August) lauded Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's announcement of formation of a post for the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), reports Asian News International (ANI).

Singh hailed the development and asserted that the move would go a long way in improving the command and control system of the Indian armed forces.

Singh went on to mention that the proposition was first suggested under United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2009 when the Naresh Chandra Committee had made the recommendation, even though the same was not implemented by the then government despite the merits of effective coordination and cohesiveness in the armed forces.

It is being anticipated that incumbent Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Bipin Rawat is most likely to become the first CDS as he will be the senior-most of all three service chiefs after the Indian Air Force chief retires on 1 October, as the post of CDS is unlikely to materialise before the date.

The Government of India has already formed a committee to streamline the structure for the new post and its integration with the three services and bureaucrats in the Defence Ministry.