Supporting the demand for creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) for the Armed forces, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik on Tuesday said the appointment, however, could be done only after the country decides on the best-suited CDS model for it.
"As a concept, I believe there should be a CDS. As to what model we should adopt that best suits our country, that we have to study," he said after taking over as Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee, said in New Delhi.
The Kargil Review Committee and the subsequent Group of Ministers report in 2001 on reforming the national security system had stressed the need for a CDS to provide single-point military advice to the government and manage the country's nuclear arsenal.
The post, which will be over the three Service chiefs, is supposed to increase synergy among the armed forces in inter-service doctrinal, planning, procurement and operational issues.
Naik pointed out that there were several models of CDS operating in different countries and said, "We don't know which model suits us the best. Once we decide that, I am sure the CDS will come in."
He said his priority as the Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee would be to "maintain and increase the synergy between the three services".
Asked about the establishment of the Aerospace Command, the IAF chief said, "At some stage or the other, we will definitely have to go in for an aerospace command."
He added, the three Services need to have a proper structure in place as India's "space assets are increasing very slowly."
Noting that establishment of the command could take a little more time as the Services were still working on the "structure and composition" of the proposed command, he said, the IAF already had a cell at the Air Headquarters and the Services had a joint facility in Bhopal.
