Appointment Of New Chief Of Defence Staff Soon: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

"Appointment of Chief of Defence Staff will be made soon," Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

New Delhi: The appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) would be made shortly, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported.

The news comes only days after the government publicly revised the standards for the selection procedure.

Appointment of Chief of Defence Staff will be made soon: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 14, 2022

Retired officers with the rank of Lt Gen or General are now eligible to be appointed as the future Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) under the revised standards.

All three-star and four-star officers from the three services, including those who retired within the previous two years, will be eligible for consideration under the new guidelines. The government, on the other hand, has imposed a 62-year-old age restriction. The three service chiefs who departed in rapid succession since September 2021 are ruled out since military chiefs retire at the age of 62.

According to Economic Times report, the government is reviewing the records of around 30 active and retired officers as it prepares to choose the next CDS, with fitness levels and medical history being a crucial factor in the decision.

Since the unfortunate death of Gen. Bipin Rawat in a helicopter mishap in December, the job of CDS has been empty.

On December 8, 2021, General Bipin Rawat, the first CDS, died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. He was appointed on December 31, 2019, for a three-year term that will finish at the end of this year.

The government also launched the Agnipath recruiting plan for India's armed services, which includes all three branches - Army, Air Force, and Navy.

(With PTI Inputs)