New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: General Bipin Rawat's sudden death in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu has opened up the debate over the appointment of the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as India continues to face a never-ending threat from China and Pakistan. General Rawat was appointed as India's first CDS in 2020 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi created the post to increase the coordination between the three forces. However, there is no clarity over the appointment of his successor as there are no clear protocols to elect the new CDS.
According to reports, the government has already begun the process to fill the CDS post that is expected to be completed in the next seven to ten days. General MM Naravane - who is the current Chief of Army Staff - is currently the front-runner for the top post as he is set to retire in five months, said people familiar with the development, as reported by news agency PTI.
The PTI sources said that a panel that will include senior commanders of the Army, Air Force and Navy will be formed by the government that will recommend names for the CDS post and send them to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for approval.
Once approved by Rajnath, the names will be sent for consideration by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet that will take the final decision on India's next CDS, the PTI sources said, adding that the Chief Of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs Of Staff Committee (CISC) will likely coordinate the process.
Army Chief General Naravane, as per the sources, is the front-runner for the top post due to his handling of the military standoff with Chine along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Besides, he is also the senior-most officer among the three service chiefs.
IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar had taken over their respective positions on September 30 and November 30.
"It is highly likely that General Naravane is made the next Chief of Defence Staff and it will be a wise decision," PTI quoted a former senior military commander as saying.
However, if General Naravane is appointed as India's next CDS, then the government would need to find his replacement as the next Army chief. In that case, Vice Chief of Army Lieutenant General CP Mohanty and Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General YK Joshi are the front-runners for the top post in the Army.
On January 1 last year, General Rawat took charge as India's first CDS with a mandate to bring in convergence in the functioning of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and bolster the country's overall military prowess.
Another key mandate of the CDS was to facilitate the restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through the establishment of theatre commands.
A high-level committee set up to examine the gaps in India's security system in the wake of the Kargil war in 1999 had recommended the appointment of the CDS as a single-point military adviser to the defence minister.
In the last two years, Gen Rawat carried out extensive groundwork to roll out tri-services reforms.
The tenure of Gen Rawat as the CDS was till March 2023.
The retirement age for the CDS is 65 years while the service chiefs have a tenure till they are 62 or for three years, whichever is earlier.
The CDS is also the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Defence Ministry and the Principal Advisor to the Defence Minister.