Chiefs of Staff Committee (India)

The Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) is an administrative forum of the senior-most military leaders of the Indian Armed Forces, which advises the Government of India on all military and strategic matters deemed privy to military coordination, direction and policy between the country's three armed services.[2] By organization, the COSC is comprised several key members, namely, Chief of Defence Staff - who acts as the Committee's Permanent Chairman, along with the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff - all of whom are also additionally supported by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.[3]

Chiefs of Staff Committee
Crest of the Chairman-Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Founded15 August 1947[1]
CountryIndia
BranchArmed forces
TypeMilitary staff
Part ofIndian Armed Forces
HeadquartersMinistry of Defence, New Delhi, India
Websitewww.india.gov.in
Commanders
ChairmanGeneral Anil Chauhan
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM
Notable
commanders
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw
MC
General Bipin Rawat
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Insignia
AbbreviationCOSC

By function, the COSC has two principal responsibilities: one, to inculcate and implement jointness through integration of, inter alia, the doctrine, logistics, and operations of the three armed services; two, to apprise to the nation's civilian leadership i.e., the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on all matters related to the nation's security.[4] As such, it exists primarily as an advisory body, endowed with no executive command authority.[5]

To execute its mandate, the COSC is closely supported by the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and other inter-service bodies under its patronage that specialize in facets such as intelligence, personnel, operations and training.[6] Comparably, the forum is identical to the United Kingdom's Chiefs of Staff Committee and Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.[7]

From 1947 to 2019, and briefly from 2021 to 2022 - the leadership of the COSC was rotated amongst the service chiefs (or Chiefs of Staff) of the three armed services, with the senior-most chief serving as Chairman-COSC with no fixed tenure; however, since 2020, the mantle of the COSC's chairmanship is held by the Chief of the Defence Staff, a separate office that functions independent of the service chiefs.[8]

Functioning

edit

The current membership of the Chiefs of Staff Committee:

Office Photograph Incumbent Incumbent since Service Command Flag
Chief of Defence Staff

(Permanent Chairman)

 
General

Anil Chauhan

PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM ADC

September 2022[9]   Indian Army
 
Chief of the Army Staff
 
General

Upendra Dwivedi

PVSM AVSM ADC

June 2024[10]   Indian Army
 
Chief of the Naval Staff
 
Admiral

Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

PVSM AVSM NM

April 2024[11]   Indian Navy
 
Chief of the Air Staff
 
Air Chief Marshal

Amar Preet Singh

PVSM AVSM

September 2024[12]   Indian Air Force
 
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
(Non-voting member)
 
Lieutenant General

Johnson P Mathew

PVSM UYSM AVSM VSM

April 2023[13]   Indian Army
 

Chief of Defence Staff

edit

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the principal military authority and senior-most appointment of the Indian Armed Forces.[14] Introduced in 2019, the CDS operates on a status of primus inter pares i.e., first among equals with the Chiefs of Staff and functions as the COSC's Permanent Chairman, independent of the Chiefs of Staff.[15]

As Permanent Chairman-COSC, the CDS maintains the following responsibilities within the forum:

Chiefs of Staff

edit
 
From left to right: the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, in 2016.

The service chiefs (also referred to as the Chiefs of Staff) of the three services are, namely, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) - all of whom are customarily four-star officers.[19]

As voting members of the COSC, the Chiefs of Staff function in the undermentioned manner:

  • Functioning with the dual role of leadership as the service's statutory chief of staff and activity as its ex-officio commander i.e., in the former role, overseeing the staff-cum-administrative duties of the services; in the latter role, overseeing the service's operational duties.[20]
  • Advising the COSC and the civilian leadership on matters privy to their respective services; this is in contrast to the CDS, whose advice reflects a comprehensive nature involving multiple, rather than concerned inputs.[21]
  • Deliberating inter-service issues to foster joint-realization of the country's national security objectives.[19]

However, their mandate of the Chiefs of Staff are not formally defined by statute, and are obfuscated by the undermentioned:

  • The Organisation, Functions, Powers and Procedure of Defence Headquarters, 1952 defines the Service Headquarters (SHQ) i.e., the administrative centers of the three services as attached offices, which by statute, excludes them from the departmental structure of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).[22]
  • The (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, which defines the authority, responsibility and obligations of government departments, prescribes that the responsibility for the defence of India thereof is placed with the Defence Secretary; there is no mention of the Chiefs of Staffs or their respective SHQs.[22]

Chief of Integrated Defence Staff

edit

In addition to its aforementioned core members, the COSC's functioning is supported by the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), which functions as the COSC's principal arm and secretariat.[23] The IDS, which by role also acts as an inter-service interface for coordinating the armed services, is led by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) - a three-star officer, who is a non-voting member of the COSC.[3] Functionally, the CISC operates with the unofficial role of vice-CDS, to act as an adjudicator towards fostering inter-service coordination between the Service Headquarters (SHQ) of the three services.[24][23]

To support the Chairman-COSC, the CISC undertakes the following roles:

  • Chair the Defence Crisis Management Group.[6]
  • Supervise the co-ordination of Long Range Plans, Five Years Plans and annual budgetary proposals for the three services and presenting coordinated set of proposals to Minister of Defence after discussion with Chiefs of Staff in COSC and Defence Secretary.[6]
  • Coordinating and analyzing critical deficiencies in force capabilities, assessing the impact of such deficiencies on national military objectives.[6]

History

edit

Creation (1947)

edit
 
Lord Ismay, the principal architect of the COSC.

Before India's attainment of independence in 1947, the military organization in the then-British Raj had been constituted as a theatre of operations, wherein the policymaking for the colony's defence affairs emanated from the Committee of Imperial Defence (CID), which oversaw the formulation of military strategy for the overall British Empire.[5] Following the dissolution of the Raj, India's inaugural Governor-General, Lord Mountbatten, sought to establish an administrative structure for the management of the armed forces of the new country.[5] Consequently, Mountbatten selected his chief of staff, Lord Ismay, to execute the task.[5]

Ismay, in his own stead, had spent a significant portion of his military career as a staff officer: he had served in the CID in a secretarial role during the 1920s-1930s with the responsibility of military planning, and had later served on the British Chiefs of Staff Committee during the Second World War; these postings thus allowed him to gain rich expertise in defence administration and subsequently, Mountbatten's choice.[25]

As such, Ismay formulated a practical model for India's higher defence management, comprising a three-tier higher defence organization:

  • Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), chaired by the Prime Minister.[24]
  • Defence Minister's Committee (DMC), chaired by the Defence Minister.[24]
  • Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), as part of the Military Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat.[24]

The COSC, which formed the third-tier of Ismay's formula, consisted of three Chiefs of Staff, who would serve as professional advisors to the civilian government wherein their mandate was to render guidance on military planning and operational matters. The COSC, which would come to be a part of the Military Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat, was thus to be led by the Chiefs of Staff on a rotational basis, with the senior-most Chief serving as Chairman-COSC.[26]

Additionally, Ismay formulated a series of several sub-committees that would address the functioning of the COSC and coordination between the three services, staff both by civil servants and uniformed officers; some of them were:

  • Joint Operation Committee (JOCOM).[26]
  • Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).[26]
  • Joint Training Committee (JTC).[26]
  • Joint Planning Committee (JPC).[26]

Chairmen

edit

† Died in office.

No. Portrait Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch Ref.
1Lockhart, RobGeneral
Sir Robert Mcgregor Macdonald Lockhart
KCB CIE MC

(1893–1981)
15 August 194731 December 1947138 days  Indian Army[1][27]
2Elmhirst, ThomasAir Marshal
Sir Thomas Elmhirst
KBE, CB, AFC, DL

(1895–1982)
31 December 194722 February 19502 years, 53 days  Royal Indian Air Force
  Indian Air Force
[27][28]
3Parry, EdwardAdmiral
Sir William Edward Parry
KCB

(1893–1970)
22 February 195013 October 19511 year, 233 days  Indian Navy[27]
4Cariappa, K MGeneral
Kodandera Madappa Cariappa
OBE

(1899–1993)
14 October 195114 January 19531 year, 92 days  Indian Army[1]
5Pizey, CharlesAdmiral
Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey
KBE CB DSO*

(1899–1993)
14 January 195322 July 19552 years, 189 days  Indian Navy
6Mukerjee, SubrotoAir Marshal
Subroto Mukerjee
OBE

(1911–1960)
22 July 19558 November 1960†5 years, 109 days  Indian Air Force[29]
7Thimayya, K SGeneral
Kodandera Subayya Thimayya
DSO

(1906–1965)
9 November 19607 May 1961179 days  Indian Army[30]
8Katari, Ram DassVice Admiral
Ram Dass Katari
(1911–1983)
7 May 19614 June 19621 year, 28 days  Indian Navy[31]
9Engineer, AspyAir Marshal
Aspy Marwan Engineer
DFC

(1912–2002)
4 June 196224 July 19642 years, 50 days  Indian Air Force[32]
10Soman, Bhaskar SadashivVice Admiral
Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman
(1913–1995)
24 July 19643 March 19661 year, 222 days  Indian Navy[32]
11Chaudhuri, Jayanto NathGeneral
Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri
OBE

(1908–1983)
3 March 19667 June 196696 days  Indian Army[30]
12Singh, ArjanAir Chief Marshal
Arjan Singh
DFC

(1919–2017)
8 June 196615 July 19693 years, 37 days  Indian Air Force[33][34]
13Chatterji, Adhar KumarAdmiral
Adhar Kumar Chatterji
(1914–2001)
15 July 196924 February 1970224 days  Indian Navy[27]
14Manekshaw, SamField Marshal
Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw
MC

(1914–2008)
24 February 197015 January 19732 years, 326 days  Indian Army[30]
15Bewoor, GopalGeneral
Gopal Gurunath Bewoor
PVSM

(1916–1989)
15 January 197331 May 19752 years, 136 days  Indian Army[35][1]
16Mehra, Om PrakashAir Chief Marshal
Om Prakash Mehra
PVSM

(1919–2015)
31 May 197531 January 1976245 days  Indian Air Force[1]
17Kohli, Sourendra NathAdmiral
Sourendra Nath Kohli
PVSM

(1916–2007)
31 January 197629 February 19762 years, 326 days  Indian Navy[1]
18Raina, TapishwarGeneral
Tapishwar Narain Raina
MVC

(1921–1980)
29 February 197631 May 19782 years, 92 days  Indian Army[36]
19Moolgavkar, HrushikeshAir Chief Marshal
Hrushikesh Moolgavkar
PVSM, MVC

(1920–2015)
1 June 197830 August 197890 days  Indian Air Force[37]
20Cursetji, JalAdmiral
Jal Cursetji
PVSM

(1919–1991)
30 August 19781 March 1979183 days  Indian Navy.
21Malhotra, Om PrakashGeneral
Om Prakash Malhotra
PVSM

(1922–2015)
1 March 197931 May 19812 years, 91 days  Indian Army[38]
22Latif, IdrisAir Chief Marshal
Idris Hasan Latif
PVSM

(1923–2018)
1 June 198130 August 198190 days  Indian Air Force[39][40]
23Pereira, RonaldAdmiral
Ronald Lynsdale Pereira
PVSM, AVSM

(1923–1993)
1 September 198126 February 1982178 days  Indian Navy[40][41]
24Rao, KrishnaGeneral
Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao
PVSM

(1923–2016)
1 March 198231 July 19831 year, 152 days  Indian Army[42]
25Singh, DilbaghAir Chief Marshal
Dilbagh Singh
PVSM, AVSM, VM

(1926–2001)
1 August 19835 September 19841 year, 35 days  Indian Air Force[43][44]
26Dawson, OscarAdmiral
Oscar Stanley Dawson
PVSM, AVSM

(1923–2011)
5 September 198430 November 198486 days  Indian Navy[44]
27Vaidya, ArunGeneral
Arun Shridhar Vaidya
PVSM, MVC & Bar, AVSM

(1926–1986)
1 December 198431 January 19861 year, 61 days  Indian Army[45][46]
28Tahiliani, RadhakrishnaAdmiral
Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani
PVSM, AVSM

(1930–2015)
1 February 198630 November 19871 year, 302 days  Indian Navy[47][48]
29La Fontaine, DenisAir Chief Marshal
Denis La Fontaine
PVSM, AVSM, VSM

(1929–2011)
1 December 198731 July 1988182 days  Indian Air Force[49]
30Nadkarni, JayantAdmiral
Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni
PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM

(1931–2018)
1 August 198830 November 19902 years, 121 days  Indian Navy[49][50]
31Mehra, SurinderAir Chief Marshal
Surinder Mehra
PVSM, AVSM, VM

(1932–2003)
1 December 199031 July 1991242 days  Indian Air Force[51]
32Rodrigues, SunithGeneral
Sunith Francis Rodrigues
PVSM, VSM

(1933–2022)
1 August 199130 June 19931 year, 333 days  Indian Army[51]
33Ramdas, LaxminarayanAdmiral
Laxminarayan Ramdas
PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM

(1933–2024)
30 June 199330 September 199392 days  Indian Navy[52]
34Joshi, BipinGeneral
Bipin Chandra Joshi
PVSM, AVSM

(1935–1994)
1 October 199318 November 1994†1 year, 48 days  Indian Army.
35Kaul, SwaroopAir Chief Marshal
Swaroop Krishna Kaul
PVSM, MVC

(born 1935)
20 November 199431 December 19951 year, 41 days  Indian Air Force[53]
36Shekhawat, Vijai SinghAdmiral
Vijai Singh Shekhawat
PVSM, AVSM, VrC

(born 1933)
31 December 199530 September 1996274 days  Indian Navy[54]
37Roychowdhury, ShankarGeneral
Shankar Roychowdhury
PVSM

(born 1937)
1 October 199630 September 1997364 days  Indian Army[55][56]
38Sareen, SatishAir Chief Marshal
Satish Sareen
PVSM, AVSM, VM

(born 1939)
1 October 199731 December 19981 year, 91 days  Indian Air Force[56][57]
39Malik, VedGeneral
Ved Prakash Malik
PVSM, AVSM

(born 1939)
1 January 199930 September 20001 year, 273 days  Indian Army[58][59]
40Kumar, SushilAdmiral
Sushil Kumar
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM

(1940–2019)
1 October 200029 December 20011 year, 89 days  Indian Navy[59][60]
41Padmanabhan, SundararajanGeneral
Sundararajan Padmanabhan
PVSM, AVSM, VSM

(1940–2024)
30 December 200131 December 20021 year, 1 day  Indian Army[61][62]
42Singh, MadhvendraAdmiral
Madhvendra Singh
PVSM, AVSM
31 December 200231 July 20041 year, 213 days  Indian Navy[62]
43Krishnaswamy, SrinivasapuramAir Chief Marshal
Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy
PVSM, AVSM, VM & bar

(born 1943)
31 July 200429 December 2004151 days  Indian Air Force[63]
44Vij, Nirmal ChanderGeneral
Nirmal Chander Vij
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM

(born 1943)
30 December 200430 January 200531 days  Indian Army[63]
45Prakash, ArunAdmiral
Arun Prakash
PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM

(born 1944)
31 January 200531 October 20061 year, 273 days  Indian Navy[63]
46Tyagi, Shashindra PalAir Chief Marshal
Shashindra Pal Tyagi
PVSM, AVSM, VM

(born 1945)
31 October 200631 March 2007151 days  Indian Air Force.
47Singh, Joginder JaswantGeneral
Joginder Jaswant Singh
PVSM, AVSM, VSM

(born 1945)
31 March 200730 September 2007183 days  Indian Army.
48Mehta, SureeshAdmiral
Sureesh Mehta
PVSM, AVSM

(born 1947)
30 September 200731 August 20091 year, 335 days  Indian Navy.
49Kapoor, DeepakGeneral
Deepak Kapoor
PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM

(born 1948)
31 August 200931 March 2010212 days  Indian Army.
50Naik, PradeepAir Chief Marshal
Pradeep Vasant Naik
PVSM, VSM

(born 1949)
31 March 201030 July 20111 year, 121 days  Indian Air Force[64]
51Naik, PradeepAdmiral
Nirmal Kumar Verma
PVSM, AVSM

(born 1949)
30 July 201131 August 20121 year, 32 days  Indian Navy[65]
52Browne, NormanAir Chief Marshal
Norman Anil Kumar Browne
PVSM, AVSM, VM

(born 1951)
31 August 201231 December 20131 year, 122 days  Indian Air Force.
53Singh, BikramGeneral
Bikram Singh
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM

(born 1951)
31 December 201331 July 2014212 days  Indian Army[66]
54Raha, ArupAir Chief Marshal
Arup Raha
PVSM, AVSM, VM

(born 1954)
31 July 201431 December 20162 years, 153 days  Indian Air Force.
55Raha, ArupAdmiral
Sunil Lanba
PVSM, AVSM

(born 1957)
31 December 201631 May 20192 years, 151 days  Indian Navy[67]
56Dhanoa, Birender SinghAir Chief Marshal
Birender Singh Dhanoa
PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VM

(born 1957)
31 May 201927 September 2019119 days  Indian Air Force[68]
57Rawat, BipinGeneral
Bipin Rawat
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM

(1958–2021)
27 September 2019[a]8 December 20212 years, 72 days  Indian Army[70]
Vacant 8–15 December 2021
Naravane, Manoj MukundGeneral
Manoj Mukund Naravane
PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC

(born 1960)
Acting
15 December 202130 April 2022136 days  Indian Army[71]
Vacant 30 April 2022 – 30 September 2022
58Chauhan, AnilGeneral
Anil Chauhan
PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM

(born 1961)
30 September 2022Incumbent2 years, 64 days  Indian Army

See also

edit

Inter-service offices

edit

Other offices of the Indian Armed Forces

edit

International equivalents

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Held temporarily until creation of post of Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) on 1 January 2020, when Chairman COSC made permanent in tandem with CDS post.[69]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f "Mehra Relinquishes Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairmanship" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 January 1976. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Chiefs of Armed Forces". www.india.gov.in.
  3. ^ a b "Chiefs of Staff Committee". optimizeias.com. 17 December 2021.
  4. ^ "A Call for Change:Higher Defence Management in India" (PDF). idsa.in. July 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "MANAGEMENT OF OUR DEFENCE: ROLE OF THE COSC" (PDF). capsindia.org. April 2006.
  6. ^ a b c d "STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE (2008-2009) THIRTY-SECOND REPORT" (PDF). eparlib.nic.in. 18 December 2008.
  7. ^ "The Indian army's first Chief of Defence Staff". tribune.com.pk. 7 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Cabinet Committee on Security clears Chief of Defence Staff post: Here are all the details". economictimes.indiatimes.com. 24 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024.
  9. ^ "General Anil Chauhan takes over as Chief of Defence Staff; Vows to fulfil the hopes of the Nation & deal with challenges together". pib.gov.in. 30 September 2022.
  10. ^ "GENERAL UPENDRA DWIVEDI TAKES OVER AS THE CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF". pib.gov.in. 30 June 2024.
  11. ^ "ADMIRAL DINESH K TRIPATHI PVSM, AVSM, NM ASSUMES COMMAND OF THE INDIAN NAVY AS 26th CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF". pib.gov.in. 30 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh appointed as next Chief of the Air Staff". pib.gov.in. 21 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen JP Mathew to attend Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence conference in Hawaii, USA". pib.gov.in. 17 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Chiefs of Armed Forces". www.india.gov.in.
  15. ^ "CDS: The long and arduous road ahead". www.orfonline.org. 31 December 2019.
  16. ^ "Functions of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)". pib.gov.in. 3 February 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Cabinet approves creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of four star General". pib.gov.in. 24 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Institution of the Chief of Defence Staff: Evaluating the First Year". www.delhipolicygroup.org. 1 January 2021.
  19. ^ a b "HQ Integrated Defence Staff in the National Security Structure" (PDF). www.idsa.in. September 2019.
  20. ^ "FACING FUTURE CHALLENGESDEFENCE REFORM IN INDIA". www.researchgate.net. November 2011.
  21. ^ "SYNERGY - JOURNAL OF THE CENTRE FOR JOINT WARFARE STUDIES" (PDF). cenjows.in. February 2017.
  22. ^ a b "DEFENCE REFORMS A National Imperative" (PDF). www.brookings.edu. February 2018.
  23. ^ a b "DEFENCE ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT OFFICE MANUAL PART – XVI" (PDF). cgda.nic.in. 2014.
  24. ^ a b c d "REFORMING AND RESTRUCTURING : HIGHER DEFENCE ORGANIZATION OF INDIA" (PDF). cenjows.in. August 2016.
  25. ^ "The man who brought news of war". www.keymilitary.co. 17 June 2023.
  26. ^ a b c d e "India's Higher Defence Organisation: Implications for National Security and Jointness" (PDF). www.idsa.in.
  27. ^ a b c d "Admiral Chatterji Takes Over" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 17 July 1969. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  28. ^ "Press Note" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 22 February 1950. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  29. ^ "Most Distinguished Air Force Officer" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 11 November 1960. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  30. ^ a b c "Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee: General Manekshaw Takes Over" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 24 February 1970. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  31. ^ Katari, Ram Dass (1982). A sailor remembers. Vikas. p. 105. ISBN 978-0706920642.
  32. ^ a b "Air Chief Hands Over Chairmanship To Naval Chief" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 24 July 1964. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  33. ^ "New Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 7 June 1966. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  34. ^ "CIFS OF STAFF FAREWELL TO AIR CHIEF" (PDF).
  35. ^ "General Bewoor Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 May 1975. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  36. ^ Transition to triumph : history of the Indian Navy, 1965-1975. Lancer Publishers. 2000. ISBN 978-1897829721.
  37. ^ "New Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 June 1978. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  38. ^ "Army Southern Command Bags Defence Services Sports Trophy" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 7 November 1979. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  39. ^ "New Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 2 June 1981. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  40. ^ a b "Admiral Pereira Becomes Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 1 September 1981. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  41. ^ "Navy Bids Farewell To Its Most Distinguished Sailor" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 26 February 1982. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  42. ^ "Former Army Chief General KV Krishna Rao Dies At 92". NDTV.com.
  43. ^ "New Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 1 August 1983. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  44. ^ a b "New Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 5 September 1984. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  45. ^ Tahiliani, Admiral (Retd.) RH (2013). "Chiefs of Staff" (PDF). Quarterdeck: 30.
  46. ^ "TOPNO BEST SERVICES SPORTSMAN" (PDF).
  47. ^ "Chiefs of Staff Committee Bids Farewell To Admiral Tahiliani" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 27 November 1987. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  48. ^ The Sri Lankan crisis. Lancer International. p. 50. ISBN 8170620635.
  49. ^ a b "Farewell To Chief of the Air Staff By Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 26 July 1988. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  50. ^ "Chiefs of Staff Committee Bids Farewell To Admiral Nadkarni" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 26 November 1990. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  51. ^ a b "Chiefs of Staff Committee of Defence Services Bids Farewell to its Chairman" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 29 July 1991. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  52. ^ "Admiral L Ramdas Takes Over As Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 29 June 1993. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  53. ^ "Swaroop Krishna Kaul PVSM MVC ADC CAS | Indian Air Force | Government of India". indianairforce.nic.in.
  54. ^ "Admiral VS Shekhawat Is New Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 30 December 1995. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  55. ^ "General S Roychowdhury Is New Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 23 September 1996. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  56. ^ a b "Rediff On The NeT: Sareen nominated chairman of defence chiefs' panel". www.rediff.com.
  57. ^ "Air Chief Marshal Sareen To Be Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 22 September 1997. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  58. ^ "Malik V.p. General". HarperCollins Publishers. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  59. ^ a b "Admiral Sushil Kumar new chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee". Zee News. Essel Group Company. 14 September 2000. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  60. ^ "Admiral Sushil Kumar Is New Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 28 September 2000. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  61. ^ "General Padmanabhan Appointed Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India Archive. 24 December 2001. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  62. ^ a b TNN (24 December 2002). "Navy chief to head COSC". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  63. ^ a b c "Gen Vij new head of chiefs of staff panel".
  64. ^ Dutta, Sujan (30 November 2011). "Generation shift in air force". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  65. ^ "Admiral Nirmal Verma now heads chiefs of staff committee". domain-b.com. New Delhi: The Information Company Private Limited. 30 July 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  66. ^ TNN (31 December 2013). "Bikram Singh takes over chairman of chiefs of staff from Browne". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  67. ^ TNN (30 December 2016). "Navy chief now to head chiefs of staff committee". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  68. ^ "Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa gets baton of COSC chief". The Hindu. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  69. ^ "Cabinet approves creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of four star General". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  70. ^ "Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat to take over as chairman of CCS tomorrow". 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  71. ^ Bhalla, Abhishek (16 December 2021). "Old system till new CDS appointed: Gen Naravane as senior-most service chief fills in for Gen Bipin Rawat". India Today. Retrieved 16 December 2021.