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Create chief of defence staff post, says Kaul

Former general officer commanding-in chief, western command, Lieutenant General H Kaul says that post of chief of defence staff is long overdue and it must be filled on the basis of merit and suitability alone.

In an analysis, Asia Defence News International points out that with the creation of the National Security Council and the Admiral Bhagwat affair accelerating the integration of the ministry of defence and the service headquarters, the armed forces see the creation of a chief of defence staff as a natural corollary.

It is not a new demand and the success of the integrated approach to warfare during the Indo-Pak war of 1971 almost made it a reality when then prime minister Indira Gandhi wanted to nominate Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw as the first incumbent. The idea was opposed by then air chief marshal P C Lal, chief of the air staff, on the ground that ''service chiefs should function as equals and sort out their inter-service problems, both administrative and operational, among themselves.''

However, some feel there are compelling reasons to review the situation in the light of the need for cost-effective employment of national resources in the defence of territorial integrity and national sovereignty. This objective must lie at the heart of the creation of the NSC and the proposed restructuring of the ministry of defence and integration with the service headquarters.

The army's case is that the Gulf war has proved that though air power and naval deployment can inflict unacceptable damage to the enemy war machine, the attainment of political objectives -- in that case the removal of Iraq President Saddam Hussein --could only be achieved by land forces.

In the Bangladesh war it was clear that the integrated employment of the air force and the navy was intended to enable the army to gain territory, subdue the Pakistan army elements (93,000 were captured) and thereby enable the creation of a free Bangladesh.

Nowadays, great emphasis has been placed on joint exercises between elements of the army, navy and air force to reinforce the organic linkages that would be required in time of war.

The most recent was 'Operation Amphex' by the army and navy off the coast of Goa which along with 'Operation Shivshakti' between the army and air force in Rajasthan were designed to mount surgical offensive operations in a nuclear environment.

The National Security Council will sooner or later have to bend its energies to create the synergy between the three services and the political leadership that future warfare will require.

There has to be a clear and transparent project of how long-term strategic and short-term tactical requirements, within the ambit the national objectives, are to be achieved. The integrated approach to warfare has become a modern-day necessity and any futuristic projection will have to retain that element.

UNI

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