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P Jayaram in New Delhi
India would soon have a chief of integrated defence staff as part of proposed reforms in the defence services and to bring about greater co-ordination among them.
The chief of the CIDS, which would consist of the general staff of the army, navy and the air force, would be an army lieutenant general and his appointment would be announced in the first week of October, defence officials said.
"We have identified all officers of the three services who will be part of the new set-up," one official said.
The proposed defence intelligence agency, combining the army, navy and air force intelligence, would work under the CIDS, the officials said, adding a defence procurement board was also being set up to eliminate corruption in defence deals as part of the "core" reforms.
The sources said the differences among the three services on the appointment of a chief of defence staff had been sorted out and it had now been decided that the air force chief would hold the post.
But an official announcement of his appointment had been delayed due to the intervention of Parliament's standing committee on defence, which wanted to express its opinion.
Once the CDS was appointed, the CIDS would function under him, they added.
Indo-Asian News Service
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