Age Limit of Chief of Defence Staff to Be 65 Instead of 62

Army personnel guard a camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara. Image used for representational purposes only. 

(Photo: PTI)

The government has amended the Army Rules, 1954, increasing the age limit for the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) from 62 to 65, the Defence Ministry said in a notification on Sunday, 29 December, reported news agency ANI.

According to rules, the service chiefs can serve for a maximum period of three years or till the age of 62, whichever is early, reports ANI.

This amendment may clear the way for General Bipin Rawat – who is retiring as Army Chief and turning 62 in March 2020 – to be appointed the first CDS.

The government approved the creation of post of chief of defence staff (CDS) and the officer to be appointed to the post will be a four-star general and will also head the department of military affairs, Union minister Prakash Javadekar had announced on Tuesday, 24 December.

The CDS will be the single-point military advisor to the government as suggested by the Kargil Committee in 1999, official sources cited by PTI said.

The Cabinet Committee on Security on Tuesday also approved the report of a high-level committee, headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, which finalised responsibilities and the enabling framework for the CDS.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also hailed the ‘historic decision’:

CDS to Act as Principal Military Advisor to Defence Minister

According to government sources cited by ANI, the armed forces will fall under the ambit of department of military affairs, which will be headed by CDS and and will have appropriate expertise to manage military affairs.

The department is supposed to have an appropriate mix of civilian and military officers.

“CDS will act as principal military advisor to defence minister on tri-services matters. The three chiefs will continue to advise defence minister on matters exclusively concerning their respective services… The CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs.”

Government sources, as quoted by ANI 

The sources further said that the CDS would not be eligible to hold any government office after demitting office. He will also not hold any private employment without prior approval for a period of five years after demitting office of CDS.

The CDS will also be the permanent chairperson of the chiefs of staff committee, wherein he would be supported by the integrated defence staff, government sources further said.

The new position of CDS was announced by PM Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address this year. The announcement on Tuesday comes just days after Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane was announced to replace General Bipin Rawat the as the next Chief of Army Staff.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)