Even though the government has amended its rules of business to define specific responsibilities of the Defence Secretary and CDS, there is considerable discussion within the ministry on the level of seniority of bureaucrats who will report to CDS, General Bipin Rawat

NEW DELHI: The defence ministry’s joint secretary (army) is likely to report to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), even as there is a lack of clarity on the rest of the personnel who will constitute the staff under the new appointment.

Even though the government has amended its rules of business to define specific responsibilities of the Defence Secretary and CDS, there is considerable discussion within the ministry on the level of seniority of bureaucrats who will report to CDS, General Bipin Rawat. There is no clarity on who will report to whom. However, sources said it is clear that the joint secretary (army) is likely to report to the CDS.

The newly-created Department of Military Affairs (DMA), which will be headed by CDS, will have two joint secretaries, 13 deputy secretaries and 22 under secretaries. So, the department will have a 37-strong personnel.

General Rawat took over as CDS on January 1, an appointment aimed at creating greater integration between the three defence services.

Under the DMA that he will head, there will be the three services, integrated headquarters, territorial army, works relating to the forces, procurement exclusive to the services, except capital acquisitions and promoting indigenous equipment usage.

The DMA will also ensure jointness in procurement, training and planning, besides restructuring military commands by establishing theatre commands. The DMA will be the fifth department along with the departments of defence, defence research and development, defence production and ex-servicemen.

While the amended rules of business took out some responsibilities from the Department of Defence headed by the defence secretary, it also specified his primary responsibilities.

These include the defence of India, including during war and defence policy, capital acquisitions, Border Roads Organisation, acquisition of land for defence and matters relating to the Coast Guard.

But CDS, apart from heading DMA, will also be the permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. He will act as Principal Military Adviser to the defence minister on all tri-services matters. He will administer all tri-services organisations, and tri-services agencies on cyber and space will come under him. But, he will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs.