New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government will soon announce the name of the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and also the country’s first four-star Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a decision the armed forces have been awaiting with bated breath amid all the speculation.
In contention for the post of COAS are three officers whose names have been sent to the Prime Minister for final selection, ThePrint has learnt.
In August this year, ThePrint had reported that Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat is set to become the first CDS — the sole adviser to the government on all three services.
Gen Rawat retires on 31 December — three months before he turns 62, the upper age limit for service chiefs.
Sources said the name of the CDS and the new Army chief is likely to be announced at least two weeks before Gen Rawat’s retirement.
Contenders for the post of Army chief
According to sources, the three officers in contention for the COAS post are Vice-Chief Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh and Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Satinder Kumar Saini.
Lt Gen Naravane, who has also served as the Eastern Army Commander and Commander of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC), is the senior-most among the three.
Known as the quintessential Army man, Lt Gen Naravane, from 7th Sikh Light Infantry, took over as the Vice-Chief on 1 September 2019 and has vast experience in counter-insurgency operations both in Kashmir and the northeast. He has also commanded a battalion of the Army’s counter-terrorism unit in Kashmir — Rashtriya Rifles.
The officer was part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force when it was deployed in Sri Lanka during the civil war, and served as India’s defence attache at the Indian embassy in Myanmar for three years.
Sources said Naravane is the front-runner to take over as the Chief of Army Staff. However, given the Modi government’s record of ignoring seniority while selecting the military chiefs, Lt Gen Singh is a strong contender too.
He was the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) during the 2016 surgical strikes.
During the 2015 Myanmar operation, he was Additional Director General of Military Operations (ADGMO). He is seen as the face of the operation because he read out the official statement to the media after the strikes.
Commissioned into the 9th Battalion of the Dogra Regiment, he has vast experience in planning both operational and information warfare as he has served in the Military Operations directorate as a Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General. He served as Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Information Systems and Training) before taking over the Northern Command.
Incidentally, he is a beneficiary of the Modi government’s decision to lower the service tenure one must have left for selection as an Army commander. While it was 24 months until 2017, it now stands at 18 months.
Also read: Pakistan Army says General Bipin Rawat ‘provoking war’ through ‘irresponsible’ statements
Speculation rife on who will be first CDS
Even though Gen Rawat is the front-runner and literally the lone candidate to become the CDS, a lot of speculation is doing the rounds in the armed forces about who the first incumbent will be.
At the defence ministry level, sources said, the names of the three service chiefs were initially discussed but Gen Rawat emerged as the consensus candidate.
However, this alone does not guarantee his appointment as the CDS. In the case of incumbent Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, his name did not originally figure in the list sent to the PMO, which later sought his file.
Rumours circulated by a section also suggested that a vice-chief could become the CDS. This would, however, be surprising because an officer who has not even commanded his own service would then become the ‘first among equals’ and the single pointsperson for the PM on defence matters.
“There are rumours because the experience with this government is that whosoever’s name comes up, he does not make it. The Prime Minister holds the trump card,” said a source in the government.
The CDS job profile
Whoever becomes the CDS will have a tough task at hand. All procurement matters will come under the CDS, as will budgetary allocation for the three services.
He will also be heading the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), Cyber Command, Space Command and the Armed Forces Special Operations Command.
The CDS will be spearheading the Modi’s government’s plan for integration of the three services and creation of theatre commands.
Speaking to The Print in September, Gen Rawat had said, “Whoever becomes the CDS, he will have to be the first among equals. Whichever service he belongs to, he will have to shed the inhibitions of that service. He will have to convince the other two that we need to work together.”
He said the CDS would work on bringing the three services together, at both top and bottom levels, such as integrating training establishments and logistics.
“Some of the operational doctrines would have to be integrated. And finally we will have to come out with theatre commands. One commander controlling everything,” he said, adding that integration of the Ministry of Defence with the three services is also necessary.
Also read: This is how more Army jawans can become officers under new Bipin Rawat plan
This is a disappointment.
CDS should have been a five star officer.
There should have been vigorous selection from a pool of the top hundred officers . Seniority should not be a consideration.
We need an exceptionally qualified man to make these structural changes.
A CDS from the navy or Air Force would be more relevant as technology will be the requirement for future warfare.
It would be wonderful if the principle of seniority is respected.
Great hang on tough