CDS will look after promotion, transfer of brigadier and above officers

This role is part of a proposed structure of newly-created Department of Military Affairs (DMA), which will be headed by CDS. The government has given in principle approval to the proposal of DMA's formal structure.

"The proposal has been made looking upon the structure of various bodies and ministries like Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Space Research Organisation and others," Major General Mukesh Agarwal, Defence Advisor to CDS, told IANS.

As proposed, there would a DMA Secretariat which will have a Defence Advisor who will directly report of the CDS. The Secretariat would have three Deputy Defence Advisors and they will have various roles. The Secretariat would look after Promotion Board for all the three services of brigadier-rank officer and above. It would also look after posting of the brigadier and above rank officers.

The DMA will have two secretaries -- one Secretary DMA and another Secretary (Transformation and Coordination). Secretary DMA would be CDS and Secretary (Transformation and Coordination) would be Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. Secretary (Transformation and Coordination) would also be known as Vice CDS.

The DMA would comprise five joint secretary officers; three from services and two from Indian bureaucracy. Each Joint Secretary would have Deputy Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries.

One Joint Secretary will be from Army, another from Navy and the third one from Air Force. A Joint Secretary (Army) would look after Indian Army and Territorial Army and a few other responsibilities. Joint Secretary (Navy) would look after Defence Staff (of all the three forces) and Joint Secretary (Air Force) would look after staff duties.

Two other Joint Secretaries would be of Joint Secretary (works) and Joint Secretary (Legal & Vigilance and Establishment).

These Joint Secretaries would have several deputy secretaries.