Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
Creation, Role, and Appointment
The post of Chief of Defence Staff was created through a Cabinet decision on December 24, 2019, following the recommendation of the Kargil Review Committee (2000) and the Naresh Chandra Committee (2012). The first CDS was appointed on January 1, 2020. The CDS serves simultaneously as the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) — a new department created within the Ministry of Defence in 2020 — and as the principal military adviser to the Defence Minister on tri-service matters. The post is not constitutional but is created by executive action through a gazette notification.
- Created by: Cabinet decision + gazette notification, December 2019; not by statute
- First CDS: General Bipin Rawat (January 1, 2020 – December 8, 2021)
- Rank: Four-star General (equivalent to service chiefs); does not command operational forces
- Primary roles: (i) foster jointness across Army, Navy, Air Force; (ii) head DMA; (iii) advise on tri-service procurement, logistics, training; (iv) oversee Integrated Theatre Commands
- Appointment: résumés of candidates recommended by services → Defence Minister → Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (Prime Minister + Home Minister)
- Vetting includes Intelligence Bureau clearance and review of Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs)
- Eligibility was extended in 2022 to include recently retired three-star officers, widening the candidate pool
● Tracked since February 02, 2026 · last seen May 12, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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