Gen Chauhan takes charge as new CDS

NEW DELHI,

General Anil Chauhan on Friday became India’s new Chief of Defence Staff with a mandate to implement the ambitious theaterisation plan that aims to ensure tri-Services synergy and prepare the Armed Forces for future security challenges facing the nation. General Chauhan, a former Eastern Army Commander, took charge as the country’s senior-most military commander over nine months after first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. In a brief interaction with the media, General Chauhan said that the security challenges facing the nation will be dealt with jointly by the three Services.

“I am proud to be assuming the responsibility of the highest rank in the Indian Armed Forces. I will try to fulfill the expectations from the three Services and tackle all challenges and difficulties together,” he said.

He became the first retired three-star Lt General-rank officer to return to the service as a four-star General.

General Chauhan will also be the Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on all tri-Service matters as well as head of Department of Military Affairs as its Secretary. He will also be the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), the Defence Ministry said.

The CDS called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shortly after taking charge of the top office.

Before assuming charge of the CDS, General Chauhan paid tributes to India’s fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial. His father Surendra Singh Chauhan was also present at the memorial. He was also accorded a tri-Services guard of honour at the lawns of the South Block in the Raisina Hills in presence of Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral S N Ghormade.

General Chauhan’s wife Anupama accompanied him when he took charge of the top office.

Known as an expert on China, his appointment to the top post comes amid the lingering border row between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.

Sixty-one-year-old Chauhan retired from service on May 31 last year when he was serving as the Eastern Army Commander. After his retirement, he was serving as the military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) headed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.

Born on May 18, 1961, General Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981.

As CDS, General Chauhan’s primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model to bring in tri-Services synergy by rolling out integrated military commands.

Last year, the Department of Military Affairs headed by General Rawat had asked all three Services to carry out independent studies on the theaterisation plan for its rollout.