Office of CDS to be in South Block, Gen Rawat to take over on Jan 1

General Bipin Rawat will take over as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on January 1 after a tri-services guard of honour.

Defence Official said the office of Chief of Defence Staff will be in South Block.

The new Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be given an Army Guard of Honour on the same day for assuming command of the force.

In a historic decision, the Centre on Monday appointed Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat as the first CDS.

This is the first time that this position has been created by the central government and appointed General Rawat as the topmost defence officer of the country to be the main point of contact for the government for dealing with defence forces' issues.

General Rawat is completing his full three-year term as the Chief of Army Staff on December 31. As the CDS, his main role would be to create synergy in the operations and finances of the three services.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in his Independence Day speech on August 15.

The recommendation for CDS had first been made after the Kargil War. It was argued that this post will create better coordination between the three services -- the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval played a crucial role along with Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar to finalise the roles and responsibilities of the new office of the Chief of Defence Staff.

Rawat is credited for bringing the major transformation in the Army structure and turning it into a mean and mean fighting machine of the future.