UPSC Prelims 2024·GS1·polity-and-governance·governance

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:

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. A1, 2 and 3
  2. B1 and 2 only
  3. C2 and 3 only
  4. D1 and 3 onlyCorrect

Explanation

Let's analyze the duties of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): 1. **Statement 1 is correct.** The CDS acts as the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), which comprises the three service chiefs (Army, Navy, Air Force). Before the CDS, the senior-most service chief served as the chairman, but it was not a permanent position. 2. **Statement 2 is incorrect.** The CDS does **not** exercise military command over the three Service Chiefs. The Service Chiefs (Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff) retain full operational command of their respective forces. The CDS is primarily a coordinating and advisory role, focused on integration and jointness. 3. **Statement 3 is correct.** The CDS serves as the Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on all tri-service matters. This role emphasizes providing integrated military advice across Army, Navy, and Air Force aspects. Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct.
polity-and-governance: What are the duties of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as Head of the Department of Military Affairs? 1. Permanent Chai
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