CDS and Beyond Integration of the Indian Armed Forces

Vivek Chadha

Defence reforms are a challenge for most countries. The lessons from India’s experience suggest that major change has almost always been mandated from the very top. The ongoing structural changes are also being driven by the highest political office in a bid to seek integration, indigenisation and greater effectiveness of the armed forces.

The ongoing military reforms began with the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and creation of the Department of Military Affairs. Future changes are likely to include the creation of theatre commands, functional commands, restructuring of Army Headquarters and a number of other associated shifts in conjunction with these big bang reforms.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that these changes are perhaps the most far-reaching military reforms in India’s post-independence history.

The book undertakes a focussed assessment of the changes that commenced with the appointment of CDS. This includes the role and inter-se co-relation between major stake holders and defence departments. Keeping in view the need to enhance operational effectiveness, recommendations regarding the chain of command, rank structures and role of service chiefs have been made. The book will also analyse the structure and role of the future Air Defence and Logistics Command.

Vivek Chadha

Colonel Vivek Chadha (Retd), is a Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. He served in the Indian Army for 22 years prior to joining MP-IDSA in 2011. His areas of research include defence reforms and military change. He has also written extensively on counter terrorism and countering the financing of terrorism.

His single author books include: Kargil: Past Perfect Future Uncertain; Even if Ain’t Broke Yet Do Fit It: Enhancing Effectiveness Through Military Change; Lifeblood of Terrorism: Countering Terrorism Finance; Low Intensity Conflicts in India: An Analysis; Company Commander in Low Intensity Conflicts and Indo-US Relations: From Divergence to Convergence. He is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Defence Studies.

Contents

Acknowledgements

• Introduction
• Setting the Stage for Jointness and CDS
• CDS and DMA
• Events Leading to Defence Reforms in the United States and its Comparison with India3
• Theatre Commands Concept, Structure and Implementation
• Theatre Commands India: Structure and Implementation
• Chain of Command
• Functional Commands: Case of Air Defence Command
• Functional Commands: Saving Costs & Enhancing Efficiency Integrated Logistics Command
• Linkage Between Structural Changes and Doctrinal Thought

Conclusion

Annexures
Endnotes
Index