News Analysis / Gen. Rawat’s plans for genuine tri-service operational capabilities
Published on: December 10, 2021
Plans related to Security of India
Context:
India has lost a capable and experienced military leader in the tragic death of the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in the Nilgiris on Wednesday. His wife, Madhulika, and 11 others also perished when the Indian Air Force’s Mi-17V5 helicopter came down in a heavily wooded area.
The Investigation:
The cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been recovered, which would give investigators insights into how the crash occurred.
It is imperative that the inquiry be done both thoroughly and speedily.
Without speculating on the cause, it needs to be stressed that speedy course corrections in training or hardware are imperative given that these Mi-17VF choppers are being used to ferry top military leaders across the length and breadth of the country.
Initiatives taken by Gen. Rawat:
The new role of Chief of Defence Staff: After completing his tenure as Army Chief on December 31, 2019, he slipped into his new role as CDS the very next day.
The CDS of the Indian Armed Forces is the military head and chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian Armed Forces. He is the senior-most and highest-ranking uniformed officer on active duty in the Indian military.
Role of CDS:
The first Chief of Defence Staff was Bipin Rawat who took office on 1 January 2020 and held it until his death on 8 December 2021.
Though the concept of having a CDS was recommended by a Group of Ministers in 2000 after the Kargil war, it took another 20 years for one to be appointed.
His Plans To give India genuine tri-service operational capabilities:
It is still to be realised.
Tri-services Operational Command: It is based on the concepts of Theatre commands, which are geographically located in such a way that it has all three wings of armed forces at his disposal.
Till now the discussions between the three wings of the armed forces have generally remained inconclusive.
Time to appoint successor:
An aggressive China and a still belligerent Pakistan define India’s security challenges.
The situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) continues to be tense with Indian and Chinese troops staring down each other.
Conclusion:
To ensure that the new CDS and service chiefs work as a team, it would be good if the government keeps the seniority principle in mind while selecting Gen Rawat's successor.
