Army gets its new chief
General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday took over as army chief from General Bipin Rawat, who has been appointed India’s first chief of defence staff (CDS), in what is being seen as the most significant change in top military management in the country and would require the CDS to strike a delicate balance with the three chiefs to strengthen cross-service cooperation and build consensus.
In a strong statement shortly after assuming the office of army chief, Naravane said there were a slew of options across the spectrum of conflict on the table to respond to cross-border terrorism backed by Pakistan.
“If Pakistan does not stop state-sponsored terrorism, we reserve the right to launch preemptive strikes against sources of terror,” the new chief said.
He stressed that the army has evolved a strategy of resolute punitive response against statesponsored terrorism, and that the Pakistan Army’s proxy-war design received a setback due to the elimination of terrorists and decimation of terror networks.
Naravane said the army has shifted its focus from the western border with Pakistan to the northern border with China as part of rebalancing its priorities. “We will continue to improve capability building along the northern border so we are prepared when the need arises…My main focus will be to make the
army ready to face any threat,” said Naravane, who was the army’s vice chief before being elevated to the top post.
The new chief said the appointment of the CDS would significantly transform the way the military operates and bring about important tri-services reforms.
The Congress’ Lok Sabha floor leader, Adhir Chowdhury, posted on Twitter that Rawat’s “ideological predilection should not affect the army”, which is an “apolitical institution”. Manish Tewari, a parliamentarian of the opposition party, tweeted, “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.”
Experts said the CDS will have to work very closely with the three service chiefs to build consensus on upcoming reforms that may face resistance, and operate in a neutral way factoring in the interests of the three services.
“The creation of theatre commands, which is one of the responsibilities of the CDS, could face resistance. The CDS will play a key role in building consensus on such issues and implement reforms on the ground. He will also have to deal with joint defence procurements and prioritise purchases in a non-partisan way,” said a former service chief, who asked not to be named.
According to the defence ministry, one of the key responsibilities of the new department of military affairs under Rawat is to facilitate the restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through the establishment of joint/theatre commands.
Such commands will come under the operational control of an officer from any of the three services, depending on the function assigned to that command. Currently, the three services are not in agreement on theatre commands.
Though the government has said the CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs, it is expected that Rawat will be the “first among equals” as he will hold the charge of permanent chairman, chiefs of staff committee (CoSC).
Until now, the chairmanship of the committee, which consists of the three service chiefs, was held in rotation by the seniormost service chief for brief periods and the arrangement was found to be unsatisfactory.
“I don’t foresee any reasons for friction between the CDS and three service chiefs. He outranks them as CDS and will have to take the final call on tri-service matters on which the chiefs may disagree. I am sure he will have a great working relationship with the chiefs to take jointmanship forward,” said Lieutenant General Satish Dua (retd), who was the senior-most military officer handling all tri-service affairs until November 2018.
Dua retired on October 31, 2018, as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the chairman, CoSC on October 31 after holding the top post for two years.
The government has said that while the CDS will act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all tri-services matters, the three service chiefs will continue to advise the minister on matters exclusively concerning their respective services. The department of military affairs will focus on promoting jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the triservices.
Rawat on Tuesday thanked army personnel and their families for extending full support to him during his three-year tenure as army chief. He said the army would achieve greater heights under General Naravane.
“Bipin Rawat is just a name and his stature gets heightened as the Chief of Army Staff. And, he is the Chief of Army Staff when the entire army team functions with him. The army is not constituted just by a Chief of Army Staff .... all soldiers, officers and others together make the army,” Rawat said before handing over the charge of the post to General Naravane.
Rawat also said the army was better prepared to face any challenge that may come up along India’s borders. He identified the ongoing restructuring of the army and the induction of some key weapons among some of the highlights of his term as army chief.
Asked to comment on his priorities as India’s first CDS, Rawat said, “I totally focussed on my job as army chief. I will think about my next job and strategy after I assume the next office.” He will inspect a tri-services guard of honour on Wednesday before assuming the office of CDS.