Retiring army chief Bipin Rawat to be India's first tri-service chief

Armychief, General Bipin Rawat, who was due to retire on Tuesday after serving three years as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), will now assume charge on Wednesday as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
On Monday evening, the day before Rawat’s retirement, the defence ministry announced: “Government has decided to appoint General Bipin Rawat as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) with effect from 31.12.2019 and until further orders and extension in service of Rawat.”
With Rawat elevated to the post of CDS, Lieutenant Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will take over as COAS on Tuesday.
Last Tuesday, the government had approved the post of CDS “in the rank of a four-star general with salary and perquisites equivalent to a service chief”. On Saturday, the government had amended the Army Rules, 1954, allowing “extension of service to the Chief of Defence Staff... subject to maximum age of 65 years”.
In the normal course, Rawat was due to retire on March 31, upon reaching the age of 62 years. Saturday’s notification will allow him to serve as CDS for three years and three months, until he turns 65 in March 2023.
Having already completed three years as army chief, Rawat’s elevation to CDS for another three years will make him India’s longest-serving four-star commander, with the most opportunity to transform the military into a high-tech, modern force.
Over the past two years, Rawat has already initiated reforms within the army directed towards reducing manpower in order to save money for equipment modernisation. As CDS, his ambit will expand to include restructuring the army’s, navy’s and air force’s 17 single-service command headquarters into a smaller number of integrated, tri-service commands.

ALSO READ: Lt General Manoj Mukund Naravane to replace Bipin Rawat as Army chief
As CDS, Rawat will wear two hats: He will head the military hierarchy as “Permanent Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee” (PC-COSC). The COSC includes the chiefs of the three services — army, navy and air force. As permanent chairman, the CDS will be the first among this body of equals – primus inter pares.
Rawat’s second and more consequential role will be in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), where he will head the newly created department of military affairs (DMA), with the rank of a secretary.
The MoD already has five secretaries — heading the departments of defence (DoD), defence procurement (DDP), defence research and development (Defence R&D), ex-servicemen’s welfare (DESW) and defence finance (DDF). While the heads of each of these departments carries a secretary rank, the defence secretary, as head of the DoD, has traditionally been the primus inter pares.
Creating a DMA will require the MoD to restructure responsibilities within the ministry, transferring from the DoD to the DMA matters dealing with the army, navy, air force, territorial army and the integrated defence staff (IDS) headquarters.
The DMA will also be responsible for procurement from the revenue budget, while procurement from the capital budget remains under the DoD. However, the CDS would control inter-service prioritisation of procurement from his perch as PC-COSC.
Implementing these changes will require substantial modifications to the Allocation of Business Rules, says a senior retired MoD official.
While a mix of military officers and civil bureaucrats would probably man the DMA, it remains unclear whether military officers would also be inducted into the DoD to imbue it with greater military expertise.
The government has stated the “CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs”, but a former defence secretary believes that, the DMA oversight and control of the military’s promotions, postings and foreign assignments and travel, will give the CDS – as secretary of DMA – enormous clout over the military.
The CDS will also have a significant role in higher defence planning and operational aspects of India’s nuclear arsenal.
“CDS will be member of Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by RM, and Defence Planning Committee, chaired by National Security Advisor. [He will also] function as the Military Advisor to the Nuclear Command Authority,” stated the notification.

Retiring army chief Bipin Rawat to be India's first tri-service chief

Armychief, General Bipin Rawat, who was due to retire on Tuesday after serving three years as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), will now assume charge on Wednesday as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
On Monday evening, the day before Rawat’s retirement, it was announced: “The government has decided to appoint General Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC as the chief of defence staff with effect from 31.12.2019 and until further orders and extension in service of General Bipin Rawat.”
Last Tuesday, the government had approved the post of CDS “in the rank of a four-star general with salary and perquisites equivalent to a service chief”. On Saturday, the government had amended the Army Rules, 1954, allowing “extension of service to the Chief of Defence Staff... subject to maximum age of 65 years”.
In the normal course, Rawat was due to retire on March 31, upon reaching the age of 62 years. Saturday’s notification will allow him to serve as CDS for three years and three months, until he turns 65 in March 2023.
Having already completed three years as army chief, Rawat’s elevation to CDS for another three years will make him India’s longest-serving four-star commander, with the most opportunity to transform the military into a high-tech, modern force.
Over the past two years, Rawat has already initiated reforms within the army directed towards reducing manpower in order to save money for equipment modernisation. As CDS, his ambit will expand to include restructuring the army’s, navy’s and air force’s 17 single-service command headquarters into a smaller number of integrated, tri-service commands.

ALSO READ: Lt General Manoj Mukund Naravane to replace Bipin Rawat as Army chief
As CDS, Rawat will wear two hats: He will head the military hierarchy as “Permanent Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee” (PC-COSC). The COSC includes the chiefs of the three services — army, navy and air force. As permanent chairman, the CDS will be the first among this body of equals – primus inter pares.
Rawat’s second and more consequential role will be in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), where he will head the newly created department of military affairs (DMA), with the rank of a secretary.
The MoD already has five secretaries — heading the departments of defence (DoD), defence procurement (DDP), defence research and development (Defence R&D), ex-servicemen’s welfare (DESW) and defence finance (DDF). While the heads of each of these departments carries a secretary rank, the defence secretary, as head of the DoD, has traditionally been the primus inter pares.
Creating a DMA will require the MoD to restructure responsibilities within the ministry, transferring from the DoD to the DMA matters dealing with the army, navy, air force, territorial army and the integrated defence staff (IDS) headquarters.
The DMA will also be responsible for procurement from the revenue budget, while procurement from the capital budget remains under the DoD. However, the CDS would control inter-service prioritisation of procurement from his perch as PC-COSC.
Implementing these changes will require substantial modifications to the Allocation of Business Rules, says a senior retired MoD official.
While a mix of military officers and civil bureaucrats would probably man the DMA, it remains unclear whether military officers would also be inducted into the DoD to imbue it with greater military expertise.
The government has stated the “CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs”, but a former defence secretary believes that, the DMA oversight and control of the military’s promotions, postings and foreign assignments and travel, will give the CDS – as secretary of DMA – enormous clout over the military.
The CDS will also have a significant role in higher defence planning and operational aspects of India’s nuclear arsenal.
“CDS will be member of Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by RM, and Defence Planning Committee, chaired by National Security Advisor. [He will also] function as the Military Advisor to the Nuclear Command Authority,” stated the notification.

Army foils attempt by Pak's BAT to target forward post in Keran, kills 5

Army has foiled an attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) on a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir, killing five to seven intruders, according to a defence spokesman here.
The BAT generally comprises special forces personnel of the Pakistani Army and terrorists.

"A BAT attempt was made on one of the forward posts in Keran sector (in Kupwara district) and foiled by alert troops resulting in neutralising of five to seven Pakistani regulars/terrorists," defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said.
Sources said the BAT attempt was made on the intervening night of July 31 and August 1.
At least four bodies, possibly of Pakistan Army's Special Service Group (SSG) commandos or terrorists, were seen in close proximity of an Indian post in the sector, they said, adding search operations and attempts to take the bodies were being continuously interfered with by Pakistani troops deployed in the area.
The defence spokesperson said Pakistan has made a number of attempts in the last 36 hours to disturb peace in the Valley and to target Amarnath Yatra.
Four hardcore Jaish-e-Mohammad militants were neutralised in two operations in which a cache of sniper rifle, IED and mine with Pakistan markings were recovered, he said.
"This clearly indicates complicity of Pakistan in terror activities. Security forces will continue to respond to all nefarious activities along the LoC and hinterland," he said.
A senior Army official said that Pakistan has desperately attempted to push terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad and other outfits into Jammu and Kashmir over the last few days.
"The response by security forces vindicates the build up in the hinterland," he said.
The official said the terrorists who were killed in the last few days in Kashmir included Zeenat ul Islam, Umar Wani and Khalid Bhai.

Rs 150-bn mega deal inked to enable Indian Army to fight a 30-day war

After years of deliberations, the Army has finalised a mega Rs 150-billion project under which a range of ammunition for its critical weapons and tanks will be produced indigenously to overcome long delays in imports and address the problem of a dwindling stockpile.
Official sources told PTI that 11 private firms would be involved in the ambitious project, the implementation of which is being monitored by the top brass of the Army and the Defence Ministry.

The immediate aim of the closely guarded project -- said to be the biggest ever initiative for the indigenisation of ammunition -- is to create an inventory for all major weapons to enable the forces to fight a 30-day war while the long-term objective is to cut dependence on imports.
"The overall cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 150 billion and we have set a specific target for the next 10 years in terms of the volume of ammunition to be produced," a senior government official involved in the project said, refusing to elaborate further.
Initially, ammunition for a range of rockets, air defence system, artillery guns, infantry combat vehicles, grenade launchers and various other field weapons would be produced under "strict timelines", a source said.
The production targets would be revised based on the result of the first phase of the implementation of the programme.
The sources indicated the broad contours of the project were discussed at a conference of the Army's top commanders here last month.
The initiative is seen as the first serious attempt by the government to address growing concerns voiced over the last many years by defence forces over the fast dwindling stockpile of key ammunition when China has been significantly ramping up its military capability, an issue that has been discussed by successive governments.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has been pushing for fast tracking the procurement of weapons and ammunition for the world's second largest standing Army, considering the evolving security threats in the region.
"The indigenisation of the ammunition project will be biggest such programme in decades," said the official.
In July last year, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in a report tabled in Parliament, said a stock of only 61 types of ammunition out of 152 varieties was available, and these would only last for 10 days in the event of a war.
According to laid down security protocol, the stockpile should be adequate for a month-long war.
The sources said long delays in negotiations and subsequent procedural hurdles in the import of ammunition had adversely impacted the country's defence preparedness and that was why the indigenisation programme had been initiated.
Last year, the government had empowered the Army to directly procure ammunition and spares for 10 types of weapon systems and equipment after an internal review found the optimum level of "war stores" was not being maintained.
Considering the Army's demand, the government has already finalised one of the biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation under which large numbers of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are being purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 400 billion.