New Delhi: Gen. Anil Chauhan was appointed Chief of Defence Staff of India on Friday, with responsibility for carrying out the ambitious theaterization plan, which aims to enhance tri-service synergy and equip the armed forces for upcoming national security challenges.
Over nine months after the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Bipin Rawat, perished in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, Gen. Chauhan, a former Eastern Army Officer, assumed command as the country's senior-most military commander.
"I am proud to be assuming the responsibility of the highest rank in the Indian Armed Forces. I will try to fulfil the expectations from the three services and tackle all challenges and difficulties together," Gen Chauhan said.
Before assuming charge of the CDS, Gen Chauhan paid tributes to India's fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial in the India Gate complex. His father Surendra Singh Chauhan was also present at the memorial.
He was also accorded a tri-services guard of honour at the lawns of the South Block in the Raisina Hills in presence of Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral SN Ghormade.
Gen Chauhan's wife Anupama accompanied him when he took charge of the top office. Known as an expert on China, his appointment to the top post comes amid the lingering border row between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.
The 61-year-old Chauhan will also function as Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs. He retired from service on May 31 last year when he was serving as the Eastern Army Commander.
After his retirement, he was serving as the military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) headed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.
Born on May 18, 1961, Gen Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981.
As CDS, Gen Chauhan's primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model to bring in tri-services synergy by rolling out integrated military commands.
Last year, the Department of Military Affairs headed by Gen Rawat had asked all three services to carry out independent studies on the theaterisation plan for its rollout. However, the process did not move further after the death of Gen Rawat on December 8, 2021.
As per the theaterisation plan, each of the theatre commands will have units of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and all of them will work as a single entity looking after security challenges in a specified geographical territory under an operational commander. At present, the three forces have a total of 17 commands.
Initially, a plan was firmed up for the creation of an Air Defence Command and Maritime Theatre Command. The Indian Air Force has some reservations about the proposed theatre commands.
In June, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari said the IAF remains fully committed to the tri-services integration for enhancing the comprehensive national combat power.
Gen Chauhan is known as a fine military commander who played a key role in enhancing India's military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim sectors during his tenure as the Eastern Army Commander.
He was the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Army during the Balakot air strikes in 2019 when Indian aeroplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp deep inside Pakistan.
In becoming the CDS, Gen Chauhan assumed the rank of the four-star General as the post was created in the rank of a four-star general. Gen Chauhan is the first retired three-star officer to return to service in four-star rank.
In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Gen Chauhan held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast India.
For his distinguished and illustrious service in the Army, Chauhan was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.
With PTI inputs