Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to take over as Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee on September 27

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is set to take over the charge as Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee (CCS) from the outgoing Indian Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa on Friday (September 27).  The senior-most among the three services chiefs is appointed as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and it is to be noted that Dhanoa is scheduled to retire on September 30.

The post of CCS was established in 2012 following the recommendation of the Naresh Chandra Task Force. The CCS comprises chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. It is expected that this is the last time that this handover ceremony is taking place as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on August 15 that the country would soon get a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Sources said that the government has already launched the process to identify the first CDS of the country.

Announcing the decision in his Independence Day speech, PM Modi had said that the creation of the post of CDS is going to make the forces even more effective. "Our defence forces are India's pride. With a view to ensure and further sharpen coordination between the forces, I want to announce a major decision from the Red Fort. India will have a Chief of Defence Staff - CDS which is going to make the forces even more effective," said PM Modi. 

The creation of CDS has been a demand for the last few decades to achieve better coordination among the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. Faced with two hostile neighbours - Pakistan of the west and Chine in the north and east - India needs a better-coordinated defence command structure.