CDS will help in delivering bigger punch with available resources, says Air Force Chief

Indian Air Force Chief, RKS Bhadauria on Saturday said that the basic idea behind the formation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is to synergize and bring the cost down, and deliver a bigger punch with the available resources.

Speaking to ANI in New Delhi, the Air Chief Marshal said, "Whatever it takes to build new joint infrastructure and bring jointness, we have already started taking steps. The idea is to synergize and bring the cost down, and deliver a bigger punch with the resources we have."

The new department is an addition to the four existing verticals in the Union Defence Ministry --the departments of defence, defence research, defence production and development and ex-service welfare.

To empower the newly-created Department of Military Affairs, headed by Chief of CDS General Bipin Rawat, the government has provided it with two joint secretaries, 13 deputy secretaries and 22 undersecretaries.

"Under the newly-created Department of Military Affairs headed by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, there will be two Joint Secretaries, 13 Deputy Secretaries and 22 Under Secretaries," government sources had told ANI.

The department will facilitate the restructuring of military commands for optimal utilization of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through the establishment of joint/theatre commands.

The department will also work towards promoting the use of indigenous equipment by the services at a time when the armed forces are heavily dependent on imported military hardware.

The department will be staffed by a mix of civilian and military officers.