Govt sets ball rolling on chief of defence staff

About five years after the then NDA government mooted the idea of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee is learnt to have started the process of consultations with the political parties.

He has written to various parties seeking their views on the appointment of a CDS in a bid to reach a consensus on the issue, which is believed to have divided opinion within the three services, according to sources.

Responding to the letter from the defence minister, CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan is learnt to have informed the government about his party's support to the move, saying it will lead to better co-ordination among the three services. If the concept works so effectively in the US, Russia and other countries, what is the harm in trying it in India, the CPI general secretary is learnt to have contended.

CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said although his party was yet to discuss the issue, they would prefer a thorough discussion on merits and demerits of the move on the basis of some "data base", including experiences of other countries.

The defence minister can also bank on BJP's support. The proposal to appoint a CDS, which will be a crucial link between the armed forces, the defence ministry and the Cabinet, was mooted in a report by a Group of Ministers headed by the then Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani.

The appointment of a CDS will not only help in forming a joint military strategy but also obviate the existing uneconomical practices in which the three services often land up buying weapons from the same vendor independent of each another.

The defence minister is believed to be in favour of the post. It is apparently to get over the opposition within the defence establishment that he is seeking support from other parties.

The Congress had earlier advocated the need for political consensus before going ahead with the appointment.