What are the duties of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as Head of the Department of Military Affairs?
- 1.Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee
- 2.Exercise military command over the three Service Chiefs
- 3.Principal Military Advisor to Defence Minister on all tri-Service matters
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1 and 3 only
As the Government of India has defined the post, the CDS is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Principal Military Adviser to the Raksha Mantri on all tri-services matters, and he is also Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs. The Cabinet decision says he will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs; the Chiefs go on advising the Raksha Mantri on matters exclusively concerning their own Services.
- ✓ 1. The CDS is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, alongside being Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs.
- ✗ 2. The Cabinet decision of 24 December 2019 says the CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs, so that he can give impartial advice. The three Chiefs continue to advise the Raksha Mantri on matters exclusively concerning their respective Services.
- ✓ 3. The CDS acts as the Principal Military Adviser to the Raksha Mantri on all tri-services matters.
Remember · CDS: Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Principal Military Adviser to the Raksha Mantri on tri-services matters, and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs. He does not command the Service Chiefs.
Sources
- PIB, 24 December 2019: Cabinet approves creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in the rank of four star General ↗ “CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three Service Chiefs, so as to be able to provide impartial advice to the political leadership.”
- Press Information Bureau, Chief of Defence Staff: A historic reform in Higher Defence Organisation (October 2021) ↗ “The Chief of Defence Staff is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and acts as the Principal Military Adviser to Raksha Mantri on all tri-services matters so as to provide impartial advice to the political leadership.”
- Ministry of Defence, Annual Report 2024-25, on the CDS and Secretary DMA ↗ “He acts as the Principal Military Advisor to the Hon’ble RM on all tri-Services matters, while the three Chiefs continue to advise Hon’ble RM on matters exclusively concerning their respective services.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·