Army Chief Gen Naravane appointed as new Chairman of "Chiefs of Staff Committee"

Gen Naravane Senior-Most Among The Three Service Chiefs

New Delhi: Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane is appointed as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee that comprises the three service chiefs, people familiar with the development.

After the tragic death of India's first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat in a chopper crash that happened last week, the post fell vacant.

According to the people cite said, Gen Naravane has been given the charge as the chairman of the committee as he is the senior-most among the three service chiefs.

Earlier, the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee was senior-most among the three service chiefs. Afterwards, the topmost position becomes a CDS.

The old practice entailed that the senior-most officer among the three services was taking over as the Chairman, CoSC. “The Armed Forces have a clear line of command and role for every position to remove any ambiguity. Since there is no name announced for the post of CDS, this is just a stopgap arrangement,” said a source from Govt. officials.

The CDS also heads the department of military affairs as its secretary. In the absence of CDS, the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Balabhadra Radha Krishna will report to General Naravane, said the sources adding he will be the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff.

Also, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar had taken over their respective positions on September 30 and November 30.

Recently, on Tuesday, the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) met and condoled the death of Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel.

On Wednesday, Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the crash, succumbed to injuries at a military hospital in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Gen Naravane held a telephonic conversation with Lt Gen Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Mutair, the Commander of Royal Saudi Armed Forces.

According to the Army officials, Army has discussed issues of bilateral defence cooperation.