Decisive shift-The Hindu- 28-12-2019, Page-10

News:

The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Details:

The creation of the post of CDS has been a long pending demand and forms part of higher-level military reforms.

The delay has been more a result of fears in the minds of the three services — the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force — of how such a development could impact on the role and functioning of the three arms of the armed forces, in terms of curtailing or inflating their importance.

The Chief of Defence Staff could finally bring about unison among the armed forces
Way forward:

The present move to have a CDS calls for the total transformation of the traditional military mindset.

The CDS has to restructure the military commands into appropriate theatre or joint commands for which a critical prerequisite is ‘jointness’ — a term that envisions the various arms of the armed forces working in unison towards a goal. This is a very tall order, considering India’s experience.

Since Independence, the armed forces have been working separately, with no concept of jointness. This approach will have to change, and change quickly, for a variety of reasons, considering the security environment in the region, with the Americans preparing to move out of Afghanistan and the restiveness consequent to the dilution of Article 370.

FOR MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION
REFER "Chief of Defence Staff gets govt. nod- Dated-25-12-2019".