New CDS appointment: List of probables to be submitted to Rajnath soon, say officials
It is learned that there is a strong possibility of appointing Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane to the top post considering his overall experience.
The government has started the process to appoint the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and a list of names based on recommendations from the three services will soon be submitted to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for approval, officials said on Friday.
The government is finalising a panel comprising senior commanders from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force to choose the successor of Gen Bipin Rawat, who died in a helicopter crash near Coonoor last week.
The list is being finalised based on recommendations from the three services and it will soon be submitted to Mr. Singh for approval, two people familiar with the development said.
If Gen Naravane is appointed as the CDS, then the government will also have to look for his replacement.
Vice Chief of Army Lt Gen CP Mohanty and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen YK Joshi will be the front-runner for the Army Chief’s post.
Lt Gen Mohanty and Lt Gen Joshi are from the same batch and are the senior-most commanders after Gen Naravane. Both of them are due to retire on January 31.
Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel were killed in the helicopter crash on December 8. The lone survivor of the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh died on Wednesday.
The CDS is also the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the defence ministry and the Principal Advisor to the Defence Minister.
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