Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)

The formation of CDS to act as a single point military adviser to the Prime Minister on strategic issues was one of the key recommendations of the Kargil review committee on higher military reforms after the 1999 conflict. Despite much deliberation, the issue did not make progress due to lack of consensus and apprehensions from services.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced creation of a chief of defence staff (CDS) as head of the tri- services from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 73rd Independence Day.

The prime minister said the CDS will 

• Ensure synergy among the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) 
• Provide effective leadership to them
• Will lead to the formation of tri-service theatre commands intended to create vertical integration of the three forces,
• Improve the co-ordination between them, which will 
• Elevate their individual functioning even further.

The Chief of Defence staff will be a single point advisor to the Government and will be in a position to advise on matters related to all the three services -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- thus making India's armed forces integrated.

The Chief of Defence Staff will be 

• 'first among equals', 
• four four-star General who will be senior to the three other service chiefs.

The primary cause for the creation of CDs was national security and a medium of coordination between the forces of India which is needed to combat threatening situations and to effectively execute military operations.