The armed forces stay far away from politics, Gen. Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday after taking charge as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Wednesday morning.
His comments come in the backdrop of his recent comments condemning student protests which drew sharp responses from political parties and on social media.
“Armed forces stay away from politics. We work according to the directions of the government in power,” he said talking to the media after reviewing a tri-service guard of honour.
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Gen. Rawat said the CDS would remain neutral within the Service [Army] and to all three services. “We have to achieve more through integration. The synergised effort should not be the sum total of the three. It should be more,” he observed.
The broad mandate of the CDS includes bringing about jointness in operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three Services, “within three years of the first CDS assuming office.”
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The mandate also includes promoting jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the Services; facilitation of restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through “establishment of joint/theatre commands and promoting use of indigenous equipment by the Services.”
There is no consensus among the Services on the formation on theatre commands and the Air Force has been especially opposed to the move.
On this, Gen. Rawat said there were methods to achieve theaterisation. “I think we are copying Western methods and what others have done. We can have our own systems. We will work out a mechanism,” he stated.
The CDS has an office in South Block and will continue to wear the uniform of the parent service. However, the rank badges and accoutrements of the CDS reflect jointness, integration and synergy and accordingly there is a new Peak cap, shoulder rank badges, belt buckle and a new car flag.
