How CDS post came into being

The Union cabinet on Tuesday cleared the appointment of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, a post that was first recommended in the aftermath of the Kargil war. A look at the deliberations that followed

1999

JULY 29

The Kargil Review Committee (KRC) was constituted under defence analyst K Subrahmanyam in the immediate aftermath of India’s announcement on July 26, 1999 that the enemy had been evicted from Kargil. It was tasked with examining lapses that allowed Pakistani soldiers to occupy strategic heights in India and preparing a report.

2000

FEBRUARY 23

The KRC report was tabled in Parliament. It proposed comprehensive reforms in India’s national security architecture. One of its key recommendations was the appointment of a CDS for improving cross-service synergy.

2001

FEBRUARY 26

A Group of Ministers, under then home minister LK Advani, submitted its report to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The GOM was set up in April 2000 to review the national security system. It recommended that a CDS be appointed.

MAY 11

The Cabinet Committee on Security decided that the recommendation related to the appointment of a CDS be taken up after holding talks with different political parties.

2012

MAY

The Naresh Chandra task force on national security recommended the appointment of a permanent chairman of the chiefs of staff committee for improving tri-services synergy.

2016

DECEMBER The Lt. Gen (Retd) DB Shekatkar committee (set up in 2016) report recommended the appointment of a CDS.

2019

AUGUST 15

Successive governments failed to build political consensus on appointing a CDS for two decades. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 announced the creation of the post for effective coordination between the three forces. DECEMBER 24

The government clears the appointment of CDS and announces that a four-star officer will head department of military affairs in the defence ministry.