General Bipin Rawat appointed as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional service chief, head of the Indian Armed Forces and the senior-most uniformed military adviser to the Government of India.The position was first officially suggested in 1999 following the Kargil War through the recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee. Although a long-talked-about position in India, the official call was made public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech on 15 August 2019 at Red Fort, New Delhi.On 24 December 2019, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) formally announced the creation of the position, a four-star general, a tri-service Chief, that shall lead the defence forces as well as take up other roles such as head of the Department of Military Affairs under the Ministry of Defence.
India was the only large democracy which did not have a single point military advisor; with all P5 countries having one.General Bipin Rawat took over as the first CDS on 1st January 2020. He will serve a full three-year term till December 2022.
As the Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, CDS will perform the following functions:

• The Chief of Defence Staff is described by officials as the "first among equals" among service chiefs.
• The CDS will be tasked with trimming weapons procurement procedures and integrating operations of the Indian armed forces- Army, Air Force and Navy.
• Apart from being the military advisor for the government, the CDS will also head the Department of Military Affairs.
• The CDS will have the authority to direct the service chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force and will also have the authority to create theatre commands as and when needed.