Army chief Bipin Rawat, who was appointed the first chief of defence staff on Monday, said on Tuesday that he would “plan his strategy” for the new role after he takes over, NDTV reported. Rawat, who retires as chief of Army staff on Tuesday, will take over as the chief of defence staff on the same day.
“The position chief of Army staff has many responsibilities,” Rawat told reporters after paying tribute at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. “Till now, I was concentrating on my obligations as chief of Army staff. Now that I will have a new designation, I will sit and plan a strategy for future.”
The Centre has amended rules to allow the chief of defence staff to serve till the age of 65. Rawat is now 61 years old. The Cabinet Committee on Security had on December 24 approved the creation of the post of a chief of defence staff of the Indian Armed Forces.
With the appointment, Rawat will be higher in rank than the chiefs of the Indian Army, the Navy and the Air Force. He will function as a single point of contact for different branches of the Indian Armed Forces and will be the military advisor to the Indian government. Rawat will also head the Department of Military Affairs and be paid a salary equal to a service chief. However, the chief of defence will not exercise any military command over the three service chiefs.
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