Creation of CDS a bold step, onus on three services to make it succeed: Air Chief

Air Chief RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday said the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was a "very big and bold step" and stressed that the onus was on three services of the Armed Forces to support it fully and make it successful.

Speaking to ANI, the Air Chief said, "The creation of CDS is a very big step and a very-very bold step. The onus is really on three services now to support it fully and to make it succeed in its foundation stage and bring in the jointness, synergy, economise the effort, and really achieve everything that is desired from this post well within the time-frame specified. It will take a lot of work and we should be ready to do it and do it well."

Assuring full support of the Indian Air Force (IAF) towards promoting "jointness" within the services, Bhadauria said that it will help in all the efforts that are required to bring in the jointness at the levels that are required.

"IAF will fully support it and will help in all the efforts that are required to bring in the jointness at the levels that are required...There are issues with training, logistics...there are areas already identified. We have done a lot in the recent past and we need to do much more and that effort will continue," he said.

The IAF Chief was commenting on the appointment of General Bipin Rawat as the CDS who took over the charge earlier in the day.

General Rawat today received the guard of honour from all the three forces after demitting office on retirement as Chief of Indian Army.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tweeted to congratulate General Rawat on his appointment and said the CDS was an outstanding officer who had served the country with great zeal.