Maximum age limit for Chief of Defence Staff put at 65

The Centre on Sunday announced 65 as the retirement age for the newly created post of the Chief of Defence Staff, who would be the head of the Department of Military Affairs under the Defence Ministry.

The age limit for the CDS has been put in place by amending the rules and regulations under the Army Act, 1950; Navy Act, 1957 and Air Force Act, 1950.

Currently, the three Service Chief retire at 62. If one of them becomes the CDS, as per the new rule, he would be able to serve till 65.

The government is yet to name the CDS, but the outgoing Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat is widely speculated to be the first CDS, who would be having an over-arching role in policy, planning and procurement for the three services besides having a leadership position in space and cyber warfare activities.

In addition, the CDS would be a military advisor to the Nuclear Command Authority headed by the Prime Minister and permanent chairman to the Chief of Staff Committee (COSC).

In the absence of a name for CDS, the defence ministry on Friday postponed a function in which the chairman, COSC was to hand over the baton to his successor.

Being the senior-most of the three Service Chiefs, Gen Rawat currently chairs the COSC. In case he is appointed as the CDS, he would continue to keep the baton for the next three years.

One of the long-awaited reforms in Indian higher defence management, the government's decision to establish the post of CDS was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his independent day address in 2019 though a panel of experts recommended creation of such a post two decades ago and a Group of Minister headed by former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani endorsed the recommendation in 2001.