Defence Management Issue in India
It is often alleged that the government of India has paid a lip service in reviewing the organizational structures and roles in the defence services.
Currently, the defence forces are managed through three layers. First, three wings of the defence i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force are managed through separate chiefs (Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force). This is followed by a bureaucratic layer wherein comes the Defence Secretary who ensures collaboration between government and various arms of the military. Above this is the Political layer with the Defence minister.
The problem with the current system is that neither the Defence Secretary nor the Defence Minister is acquainted about the exact needs of the military. Thus, if an integrated decision has to be taken with respect to three arms of the military then it has to pass through them which can lead to odd results. Consequently, it prevents the military from building more cooperation and have an coherent approach towards threats. In addition to this policy-making on operations, joint procurement proposals also gets delayed or stuck, in the absence of background knowledge and accountability.
Although following the recommendation of GoM in 2001, an Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters (HQ IDS) was set up. But due to absence of its head it has no effective powers to coordinate the functioning of the defence forces. The three wings work as separate entities without effective coordination.
Now the government has proposed the rank of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) or Permanent Chairman Chief of Staff Committee, who would come from the defence and will head the India’s Strategic Forces Command as well as the tri-services thus ensuring a combined approach towards the three wings of the military. This proposal was given by Naresh Chandra Committee. Earlier it was also strongly endorsed by the Kargil Review Committee (KRC). Around 70 countries including US, UK, France, Germany and Australia have CDS like post for integration of military operations and planning.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) will help in the following manner. First, he will give single point military advice to the government thereby help in formulation of coherent defence policies. Second, he will ensure synergy among Army, Navy and Air Force by resolving inter service problems and other issues. Third, integrate the Services Headquarters with MoD. Fourth, will provide a strategic vision to the defence forces with complete responsibility of operational as well as contingency planning. Further judicious and distribution of resources and anomaly of civic-military interface during any contingency will be achieved. Thus the advantages are manifold when it comes to the effective discharge of duties and responsibilities.
Moreover for establishment of either the CDS or PC COSC there will be no extra cost involved. As all required organizations, including the IDS Headquarters and tri-service Commands, are already established and operational.
Therefore the rank will help in imposing unity of purpose on the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
