Tri-service chief to be chosen soon

[Abingdonboy]

Nine years into the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance, the government is poised to appoint a tri-service military chief who would be the government's single point of contact on national defence.

Indications emanating from military brass and the Ministry of Defence(MoD) suggest that Army Chief General Bikram Singh will be appointed the permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) next month. Simultaneously, Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Anil Chait, heading the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), will succeed Gen Bikram Singh as the Army chief.

A permanent chairman, COSC will be a four-star general like the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, but would wield less power than a five-star Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) that a Group of Ministers (GoM) had proposed in 2001. But the appointment would implement a key recommendation of last year's Naresh Chandra task force on improving national security.
There is already a chairman, COSC, who is an ex-officio, the senior most of the three service chiefs. He is a sinecure without real power, as he is preoccupied with running his service, and also lacks adequate staff and establishment. A permanent chairman, COSC, backed by an effective headquarters and with the time to focus on tri-service matters, would be better poised to coordinate between the Army, Navy and Air Force.

With the strategic community and serving and retired military brass unanimously backing the proposal, it is being seen as a win-win for a government that has faced allegations of being soft on national security.
The MoD did not respond to a request for comments.

The key to appoint a permanent chairman, COSC, has been a new consensus between the Army, Navy and Air Force. At the Combined Commanders' Conference on November 22, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne announced in front of the Prime Minister that all three services had agreed on the need for a permanent chairman, COSC as an interim measure towards appointing a CDS.

In his speech, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signalled concurrence. "We require urgent and tangible progress in establishing the right structures for higher defence management," he said . If the services were in agreement, "I can assure you of the most careful consideration of your recommendations by the political leadership," Singh added.

In fact, the ball was already set in motion by then. In October, COSC chairman Air Chief Marshal Browne had initiated a formal proposal for a permanent chairman.

Browne is unlikely to benefit from the proposal since he will retire on December 31 and is unlikely to be given an extension. Instead, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh, the senior-most service chief and ex-officio chairman COSC, would take over as permanent chairman COSC when the Cabinet clears the appointment, probably in January 2014.

Lt Gen Anil Chait is likely to succeed Gen Bikram Singh as Army chief, who would be the senior-most eligible general in the Army with effect from 2014. Gen Chait would, in fact, be senior even to the newly-appointed Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha.

This chain of appointments would upend the apple cart of Lt Gen Dalbir Singh, currently heading the eastern command in Kolkata, who is currently poised to succeed Gen Bikram Singh as chief next year.

The need for a tri-service commander has been institutionally articulated since 1999, when the Kargil Committee Report, noting the difficulties in inter-service coordination during the Kargil conflict, recommended the appointment of a CDS.

The appointment of a CDS would have meant a radical change in the system of higher command. Since 1947, the four-star service chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy had functioned autonomously under the MoD, presenting it with single-service viewpoints rather than an integrated viewpoint. The creation of a five-star CDS would place the three service chiefs under a powerful new appointment who would be in turn from the Army, Navy and Air Force.

In 2001, a GoM endorsed the Kargil Review Committee's recommendation for a CDS. The government said it would consult with "various political parties" before appointing a CDS. But, many years since then, the Air Force blocked the proposal, fearing the Army and Navy CDSs would erode the IAF's influence and turf.

The IAF had been scarred by the experience of 1976-77, when the maritime reconnaissance role and aircraft were transferred to the Navy. This apprehension was reinforced in 1986 when a range of light helicopters were transferred to the newly-established Army Aviation Corps.

As an interim measure, an Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) was set up for tri-service coordination, with a three-star officer in command of some 300 officers.

However, with the four-star service chiefs able to have their way, the IDS has made only partial headway towards improving inter-service coordination.



Tri-service chief to be chosen soon | Business Standard




This is a pretty big step in the right direction @KRAIT @Dillinger @sancho @COLDHEARTED AVIATOR @Joe Shearer

 

[KRAIT]

I always support umbrella organization for better coordination which will also increase effectiveness, reduce response time which means quick decision making. In time of crisis, it will be a huge advantage.

Off topic: Some of our friends were also discussing this for Disaster Management too which is not good in India when we worked for Crisis Mapping in Uttrakhand disaster.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Nine years into the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance, the government is poised to appoint a tri-service military chief who would be the government's single point of contact on national defence.

Indications emanating from military brass and the Ministry of Defence(MoD) suggest that Army Chief General Bikram Singh will be appointed the permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) next month. Simultaneously, Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Anil Chait, heading the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), will succeed Gen Bikram Singh as the Army chief.

A permanent chairman, COSC will be a four-star general like the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, but would wield less power than a five-star Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) that a Group of Ministers (GoM) had proposed in 2001. But the appointment would implement a key recommendation of last year's Naresh Chandra task force on improving national security.
There is already a chairman, COSC, who is an ex-officio, the senior most of the three service chiefs. He is a sinecure without real power, as he is preoccupied with running his service, and also lacks adequate staff and establishment. A permanent chairman, COSC, backed by an effective headquarters and with the time to focus on tri-service matters, would be better poised to coordinate between the Army, Navy and Air Force.
With the strategic community and serving and retired military brass unanimously backing the proposal, it is being seen as a win-win for a government that has faced allegations of being soft on national security.
The MoD did not respond to a request for comments.

The key to appoint a permanent chairman, COSC, has been a new consensus between the Army, Navy and Air Force. At the Combined Commanders' Conference on November 22, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne announced in front of the Prime Minister that all three services had agreed on the need for a permanent chairman, COSC as an interim measure towards appointing a CDS.

In his speech, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signalled concurrence. "We require urgent and tangible progress in establishing the right structures for higher defence management," he said . If the services were in agreement, "I can assure you of the most careful consideration of your recommendations by the political leadership," Singh added.

In fact, the ball was already set in motion by then. In October, COSC chairman Air Chief Marshal Browne had initiated a formal proposal for a permanent chairman.

Browne is unlikely to benefit from the proposal since he will retire on December 31 and is unlikely to be given an extension. Instead, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh, the senior-most service chief and ex-officio chairman COSC, would take over as permanent chairman COSC when the Cabinet clears the appointment, probably in January 2014.

Lt Gen Anil Chait is likely to succeed Gen Bikram Singh as Army chief, who would be the senior-most eligible general in the Army with effect from 2014. Gen Chait would, in fact, be senior even to the newly-appointed Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha.

This chain of appointments would upend the apple cart of Lt Gen Dalbir Singh, currently heading the eastern command in Kolkata, who is currently poised to succeed Gen Bikram Singh as chief next year.

The need for a tri-service commander has been institutionally articulated since 1999, when the Kargil Committee Report, noting the difficulties in inter-service coordination during the Kargil conflict, recommended the appointment of a CDS.

The appointment of a CDS would have meant a radical change in the system of higher command. Since 1947, the four-star service chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy had functioned autonomously under the MoD, presenting it with single-service viewpoints rather than an integrated viewpoint. The creation of a five-star CDS would place the three service chiefs under a powerful new appointment who would be in turn from the Army, Navy and Air Force.

In 2001, a GoM endorsed the Kargil Review Committee's recommendation for a CDS. The government said it would consult with "various political parties" before appointing a CDS. But, many years since then, the Air Force blocked the proposal, fearing the Army and Navy CDSs would erode the IAF's influence and turf.

The IAF had been scarred by the experience of 1976-77, when the maritime reconnaissance role and aircraft were transferred to the Navy. This apprehension was reinforced in 1986 when a range of light helicopters were transferred to the newly-established Army Aviation Corps.

As an interim measure, an Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) was set up for tri-service coordination, with a three-star officer in command of some 300 officers.

However, with the four-star service chiefs able to have their way, the IDS has made only partial headway towards improving inter-service coordination.



Tri-service chief to be chosen soon | Business Standard




This is a pretty big step in the right direction @KRAIT @Dillinger @sancho @COLDHEARTED AVIATOR @Joe Shearer

I must admit mingled feelings of relief and chagrin.

Chagrin because buried for the past few months at the boorish conjunction of four states, there was no indication of the Air Force's significant change of mind relating to the CDS. Credit must go to Norman Browne and his staff officers, who have shown breadth of vision and largeness of heart, and have overlooked the existing and future threats to the role of the Air Force, and have decided to make common cause. He is turning out to be an even better team partner than the blunt, outspoken Naik. May I hope that Raha (an SSP alumnus like yours truly!) will carry the cooperation theme further.

Relief because this move, and its structuring, is a very positive step, for many reasons, some obvious, some not so.

It is high time that we leveraged the common heritage of the NDA. Now the NDA batch number will become even more significant, and it is possible to see a strengthening of the links that even today persist at all levels of all services between officers of the same batch.

It is great that the Navy and Air Force will be counted at the highest levels, and will certainly be seen and heard far more than before, with a cyclical representation at this level. Entirely to be welcomed for reasons of management of strategy, and for reasons of progression to the next level, beyond an Army to Army deadlock on the western front. Far more welcome to relieve pressure on the outmanned, outgunned, and topographically disadvantaged forces on the northern frontier, and offer significant strategic options.

It is wonderful to see the prospect of access to the highest command position opening up to the Navy and the Air Force. This may - it should - get many more good youngsters to consider the Navy and the Air Force as career options than is the case today. While many may overlook the significance of this for the staffing planners, anyone familiar with the bulge of positions coming up over the next fifteen years in a burgeoning Air Force and Naval strength will understand if the Admiral next to you in the ration shop queue looks rather less harried as he glances at the headlines in the papers.

Perhaps the insidious snake inside the Army might die at this telling blow. But that is something to be watched carefully over the next few decades.

Overall, a great step.

Nothing negative? Of course there is. Where are the structural openings for women? The only thing wrong with the NDA is that it's Men Only.

 

[KRAIT]

@Joe Shearer Great explanation Sir.

 

[indiatester]

Govt keeps General No.1 in cold storage, explores 'stop-gap post' - The Times of India

NEW DELHI: The government is unlikely to take a call on critical and meaningful reforms needed in the country's higher defence management, including the creation of a General No.1 post, in the run-up to the general elections next year.

Sources on Wednesday said defence minister A K Antony has once again written to different political parties to seek their views on the creation of a chief of defence staff (CDS) post, as was recommended by the Group of Ministers' report on `Reforming [URL='http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/The-National']the national security system' in 2001 after the Kargil conflict.

But, as reported by TOI earlier, both the NDA and UPA governments have used the ruse of the "need to consult various political parties" to keep the CDS post in cold storage till now. Antony, on his part, has been engaged in such consultations since March 2006 with no tangible result. [/URL]

A four-star general like the Army, [URL='http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Navy']Navy and IAF chiefs, the CDS was to provide single-point military advice to the government, manage the country's nuclear arsenal and usher in synergy among the three Services by resolving inter-Service doctrinal, planning, procurement and operational issues.

With IAF chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne, who is also the chairman of the chiefs of staff committee (CoSC) as the senior-most among the three current chiefs, slated to retire on December 31, speculation on "a stop-gap arrangement" to the CDS post has once again begun to do the rounds.

The appointment of a permanent CoSC chairman, a watered-down version of the CDS post recommended by the 14-member Naresh Chandra Task Force to PM Manmohan Singh in May last year, is said to be on the cards.

"The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will have to decide on the 10 contentious defence reforms suggested by the taskforce. The defence ministry, like other ministries, has given its views to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) under the PMO," said a source.

"The NSCS, in turn, will put it before the CCS. But it is unlikely that the government will undertake such steps just before the elections," he added.

MoD itself, in its comments to the NSCS, has rejected almost all crucial recommendations of the taskforce like the post of a permanent CoSC chairman (with a fixed two-year term instead of the existing "rotational" arrangement among the three chiefs) or "cross-staffing" (posting military officers to MoD to bridge the civil-military disconnect), as was first reported by TOI in June.

MoD had taken recourse to the argument that there was lack of consensus among the three Services on the permanent CoSC chairman post. But now, as Navy chief Admiral D K Joshi declared on Tuesday, the three Services have "all concurred" on the need to have such a post. [/URL]
==============================

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I must admit mingled feelings of relief and chagrin.

Chagrin because buried for the past few months at the boorish conjunction of four states, there was no indication of the Air Force's significant change of mind relating to the CDS. Credit must go to Norman Browne and his staff officers, who have shown breadth of vision and largeness of heart, and have overlooked the existing and future threats to the role of the Air Force, and have decided to make common cause. He is turning out to be an even better team partner than the blunt, outspoken Naik. May I hope that Raha (an SSP alumnus like yours truly!) will carry the cooperation theme further.

Relief because this move, and its structuring, is a very positive step, for many reasons, some obvious, some not so.

It is high time that we leveraged the common heritage of the NDA. Now the NDA batch number will become even more significant, and it is possible to see a strengthening of the links that even today persist at all levels of all services between officers of the same batch.

It is great that the Navy and Air Force will be counted at the highest levels, and will certainly be seen and heard far more than before, with a cyclical representation at this level. Entirely to be welcomed for reasons of management of strategy, and for reasons of progression to the next level, beyond an Army to Army deadlock on the western front. Far more welcome to relieve pressure on the outmanned, outgunned, and topographically disadvantaged forces on the northern frontier, and offer significant strategic options.

It is wonderful to see the prospect of access to the highest command position opening up to the Navy and the Air Force. This may - it should - get many more good youngsters to consider the Navy and the Air Force as career options than is the case today. While many may overlook the significance of this for the staffing planners, anyone familiar with the bulge of positions coming up over the next fifteen years in a burgeoning Air Force and Naval strength will understand if the Admiral next to you in the ration shop queue looks rather less harried as he glances at the headlines in the papers.

Perhaps the insidious snake inside the Army might die at this telling blow. But that is something to be watched carefully over the next few decades.

Overall, a great step.

Nothing negative? Of course there is. Where are the structural openings for women? The only thing wrong with the NDA is that it's Men Only.

@Joe Shearer;
While I'm inclined to go along with the general tenor of what you have written; I'd still say that what Naresh Chandra and Arun Singh in days of even of greater antiquity; had in mind are still some way from fruition.
Abhi bhi; Hanooz, Dilli door ast.

Even until now; there is insufficient clarity on the various Commands and a great deal of overlap in areas of responsibility; the CDS (in the form being talked about) is not the panacea.

The NDA ethos is great; and it lasts for life. But how deep is its impact? Beyond Course-Mates Reunions? When it comes to TURF, then Service (only one's own) comes first. That is one interpretation of the NDA motto: "Service before Self"; is'nt it?!

I wish that the Services while aspiring to reform 'inter-service structures' would concentrate more on reforming 'intra-service structures'.
There is a continuing lament about Officer Intake; which gets all kinds of responses: from changing service conditions, salary bands et.al. to increasing force levels to afford greater employment opportunities. That has limited utility.
One paradigm-shift that is called for is to accept that Officers may not be looking for life-time employment and let them go of their own volition than to use emperical methods like 'time-scales' etc. where the "Almighty System" jettisons them when their utility level is perceived to be degraded.

Another Component that needs seriously looking at: the Non-Coms/NCOs. With improved educational systems; Junior Leaders can be created there. While being recruited and trained for that specific level. The dependence on the Officer Corps can be controlled by this modicum.

MoD needs to seriously look at this too. CDS and all that is just the 'icing on the cake'. But if the basic 'sponge cake' is not good enough---then what matters the beautiful icing?

 

[Joe Shearer]

Dear Cappie (if I may make so bold, in keeping with the expansive sentiments of the Season), you are being unfair. For the past few weeks, every SSPian has had stars in his eyes and a lump in his throat with the elevation of young Raha, and this is not the time to tell us about the grim, Dostoevskian side of services reform. All your points are correct; time enough to tell us about them after Santa's elves have slumped wearily over their work-benches, and are grouped in tired groups around their log-fires, nursing their mulled wine and mince pies.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Dear Cappie (if I may make so bold, in keeping with the expansive sentiments of the Season), you are being unfair. For the past few weeks, every SSPian has had stars in his eyes and a lump in his throat with the elevation of young Raha, and this is not the time to tell us about the grim, Dostoevskian side of services reform. All your points are correct; time enough to tell us about them after Santa's elves have slumped wearily over their work-benches, and are grouped in tired groups around their log-fires, nursing their mulled wine and mince pies.

@joe da; I do wish you and all the products of your alma mater well; not just for this festive season but for all the coming ones----for at least as long as I roam Planet Earth.
I'm sure that AM. Arup Raha will do credit to his post just as a class-mate of mine is doing as the AOCinC of one of the crucial Op. Commands of the IAF. I do raise my glass of tipple; to you, to all those who serve, to all of us here and to myself.
Seasons Greetings to All.

 

[sancho]

I always support umbrella organization for better coordination which will also increase effectiveness, reduce response time which means quick decision making. In time of crisis, it will be a huge advantage.

Off topic: Some of our friends were also discussing this for Disaster Management too which is not good in India when we worked for Crisis Mapping in Uttrakhand disaster.

Besides the points you mentioned, one could hope that a joint chief would be able to solve issues between the forces about roles, capabilities and equipment, that could be more effective in another force (combat helicopters in IA, coastal defence in IN...), with the aim to impove Indias overall defence, compared to look at the egos of each force alone.

 

[indiatester]

Besides the points you mentioned, one could hope that a joint chief would be able to solve issues between the forces about roles, capabilities and equipment, that could be more effective in another force (combat helicopters in IA, coastal defence in IN...), with the aim to impove Indias overall defence, compared to look at the egos of each force alone.

But hasn't that proposal been put in cold storage again? Check my post in #5 in this thread.

 

[sancho]

But hasn't that proposal been put in cold storage again? Check my post in #5 in this thread.

Not sure, I'm just saying that such a joint attempt might help our forces to get a better view on the whole defence field and not on their own parts.

 

[JanjaWeed]

bit of an off-topic.. Do we have a list of serving generals in Indian army? was trying to google through.. no luck. Any source @Abingdonboy ?

 

[livingdead]

will the CDS be always from army, or will it be rotated among forces.
What if he becomes too powerful?

 

[IBRIS]

will the CDS be always from army, or will it be rotated among forces.
What if he becomes too powerful?

It's good to have a top sentry monitoring everyone keeping every one there toes. Recently our Air Force chief had been objecting about having attack helis only under their control. Knowing well Army and Navy is keen to operate them independently under there control. Decisions like these need to be made by someone on the top rather than back and forth between our tri service chief's. We need a powerful man who can keep every one at check and also someone who can grill these politicians when need of hour arises.

 

[livingdead]

It's good to have a top sentry monitoring everyone keeping every one there toes. Recently our Air Force chief had been objecting about having attack helis only under their control. Knowing well Army and Navy is keen to operate them independently under there control. Decisions like these need to be made by someone on the top rather than back and forth between our tri service chief's. We need a powerful man who can keep every one at check and also someone who can grill these politicians when need of hour arises.

that top guy should be under the politician and I would prefer it to be a politician.
Someone who can dare grill politician? I hope such a post never created in forces.