‘India won’t copy western system of joint theatre command’

Jan 1, 2020
New Delhi:  The Indian military will not copy the western system of joint theatre command and will work out a system of its own, said General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday after taking charge as the country’s first Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).

General Rawat said that he will strive to integrate the three services in three years.

Donning a new uniform, General Rawat inspected a tri-services Guard of Honour before taking charge as CDS.

Talking about his priorities, he said: “What I have gathered that the task of the CDS is cut out. That all three services have to be together to be capable.”

General Rawat also stressed that the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy will work as a team. “CDS will keep control, it is not that CDS wants to run a force on his own. All three services cannot work on the formula that their the sum total of three energies translates into ‘Three’. It has to be much more maybe 5-7.”

He said that the CDS have to achieve more through synergy and integration.

“We have to have best economical use of resources, we will focus on integration. We can do training jointly. Procurement procedure can be made uniform. We have to see how we can integrate the three forces,” he stressed.

Talking about the CDS being given responsibility of three new joint organisations, General Rawat said: “When I took over as Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, these organisations were already under CoSC. We are having three joint organisations we are working on it.”

He also said that CDS is part of Strategic Force Command which will look on nuclear weapons.

On a lighter note when asked about his reaction over being country’s first CDS, General Rawat said : “My head is feeling lighter. I have taken off the angled Gorkha hat that I wore for 42 years. I am wearing a peaked cap, it shows the CDS will remain neutral to all three services and my head is feeling lighter.”

On challenges the Indian armed forces are facing at the Line of Actual Control on the China front, he said that all challenges would be dealt with through integration and synergy.

He also stressed that striving for joint theatre command will be his mandate. “Methods of theaterisation can be different. We don’t need to follow the western model, we can have our own way. We need to study with all three services. We will have our own system that suits us,” General Rawat added.

When asked about political parties questioning his political inclinations, General Rawat said: “We are far away from politics. We work as per directions of government of the day.”

Congress on Tuesday raised questions over the appointment of General Rawat as the CDS saying the government had started on the “wrong foot” on the issue.

In a series of tweets, party spokesperson Manish Tewari said only time would reveal the implications of the move. “With great regret and fullest of responsibility may I say that the Govt has started on a very wrong foot with regard to CDS. Time alone unfortunately will reveal the implications of this decision,” he said on Twitter.

General Rawat demitted office as Army Chief on December 31, 2019. IANS

Three top Maoists killed in encounter with police in Andhra

Visakhapatnam: Three top leaders of CPI(Maoist) were killed in an exchange of fire with police in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district on Wednesday. The exchange of fire between the...

Indian students evacuated from Tehran, some moved out of country via Armenia: MEA

New Delhi: Indian students in Tehran have been relocated from the city, and some Indian nationals have been assisted in leaving the country through the border with Armenia, the Ministry...

Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan’s claims on downing Rafale jets

New Delhi: Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during...

Shoot at sight order in Dhubri district to maintain peace and harmony: Assam CM

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a “shoot at sight” order in the Dhubri district for those who try to disturb communal peace and harmony in the...

Bengal violence: Police arrest 18 in Maheshtala, situation tense

Kolkata: Tension prevailed in the Maheshtala area of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, as police crackdown on protesters continued on Thursday. So far, 18 have been arrested. The arrests...

Chhattisgarh ASP killed in Maoist-planted IED blast, several cops injured

Raipur: Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device that claimed the life of Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Giripunje of Konta Division in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. State Home Minister...

Manipur govt clamps curfew in five districts after Meitei leader’s arrest

Imphal: After suspending Internet and mobile data services for five days in five Imphal valley districts, the district authorities have imposed curfew for an indefinite period in the same districts....

Pak retired cop’s link to spy YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra uncovered

New Delhi: New details have emerged in the espionage case against Indian YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, with investigative agencies uncovering her direct link to retired Pakistani police Sub-Inspector Nasir Dhillon, who...

PM Modi attacks Pakistan in Kashmir, says Op Sindoor gave enemy sleepless nights

Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi after inaugurating the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest rail bridge, and the Anji Bridge, the country’s first cable-supported bridge, in Jammu and Kashmir, attacked Pakistan...

Chhattisgarh: Hardcore Maoist Sudhakar eliminated in gunfight with security forces

Raipur: Sudhakar, also known as Nar Singhachalam, a central committee member of the group, has been killed in a fierce gun-battle in the dense forest of Bijapur, Chhattisgarh on Thursday....

Kerala Police orders probe after two men jailed for 151 days over sugar candy mistaken as MDMA

Kasargod: In a disturbing case of mistaken identity and prolonged detention in Kerala, two lorry drivers -- Biju and Manikantan -- spent 151 days in jail after sugar candy was...

Dassault Aviation, Tata Advanced Systems to manufacture Rafale fuselage in India

Mumbai: In a major development, French major Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited on Thursday signed four production transfer agreements to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage in India,...

Read Previous

IIT-K panel to decide if Faiz poem is anti-Hindu

Read Next

Indian Army will also focus on China border: New Army Chief

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com