Creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was recommended by Group of Ministers in 2001. A decision in this regard was to be taken after consultation with political parties. However there continued to be a prolonged delay in deciding on the same due to lack of consensus in the political parties in an era of coalition governments through which India passed through since the first time the decision was taken in 2001. There were some concerns due to the prevailing environment in the South and South East Asian region with military take over of democratically elected governments have a dangerous legacy or possibly there was no clear perception of the need for such an appointment.
The move to create the CDS was the NDA 1.0 government's unfinished agenda from its last term in office under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The L K Advani-led group of ministers' report on reforming the national security system in 2001 then had stressed the need for a chief of defence staff (CDS) to provide single-point military advice to the government and manage the country's nuclear arsenal, among other things as reported by the Times of India.
Several GoM recommendations have been implemented, including some tri-Service structures under an integrated defence staff (IDS) led by a three-star general but NDA 1.0 faced political-bureaucratic resistance for appointing an "all powerful general" as well as turf wars within the three services.
It was only in the early 2010 decade that Naresh Chandra Task Force on National Security recommended creation of the post of Permanent Chairman Chief of Staff Committee in 2012. The proposed post of the permanent chairman of CoSC, which comprises the three chiefs, would be the "first among equals" for resolving all inter-service doctrinal, planning, procurement and operational issues. The main focus was to be on integrated planning and inter-Service prioritization of procurements to systematically build the country's military capabilities in a holistic manner
Importantly creation of appointment of CDS was a long pending demand and was unfulfilled due to lack of political approval. With the strong majority of the government and decisive leadership of the prime minister it is evident that this decision has been facilitated. Finally an appropriate decision has been taken and it is hoped that the same will be implemented shortly.
Political direction alone can bring about such a major shift. For instance in the United States armed forces undertook the process of jointness through legislation known as the Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. Today US fields the most modern armed forces in history where capacity building has been a function of joint thinking leading to success in two major conventional wars Iraq 1991 and 2003 the jury is still out on the long counter insurgency campaigns that followed. Other modern armed forces as France recognized significance of jointness after the experiences in Gulf War 1991.
The United States armed forces undertook the process of jointness through legislation known as the Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. Today US fields the most modern armed forces in history where capacity building has been a function of joint thinking leading to success in two major conventional wars Iraq 1991 and 2003 the jury is still out on the long counter insurgency campaigns that followed. Other modern armed forces as France recognized significance of jointness after the experiences in Gulf War 1991.
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