More than 18 years after a Group of Ministers (GoM) recommended in 2001 that the government must appoint a tri-service commander to streamline higher management of defence, it was announced on Tuesday: "Government has approved to create the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in the rank of a four star general with salary and perquisites equivalent to a service chief."
The government has not announced the appointment of any individual as CDS. Army chief, General Bipin Rawat, who is tipped to be the first CDS, superannuates from service on December 31, having completed three years as chief of