Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee

Overview: 

The three services are taking steps to improve ‘jointmanship’ and have agreed on the appointment of a Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. This proposal has been forwarded to the Defence Ministry and it is being examined there.

About Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and his roles:

• The PCCoSC is envisaged as a single-point military adviser to the government.
• PCCoSC will be a four-star officer, who will be equivalent to chiefs of army, airforce and navy.

PCCoSC is necessary for the following reasons:

• For better coordination and co-operative practices among the three services.
• To provide single point military advice to government.
• Streamline long-term defence planning and procurement purpose.

Roles and functions:

• He would look into joint issues of the services like training of troops, acquisition of weapon systems and joint operations of the services.
• The officer would also be in-charge of the tri-services command at Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the strategic command of nuclear weapons along with the upcoming cyber and space command.

Background:

• A GoM in its report, submitted to the government in February 2001, recommended the creation of such an institution.
• The Naresh Chandra Task Force, formed in May 2011 to review the national security management system, recommended the creation of permanent post of chairman, chiefs of staff committee (CoSC).

Sources: the hindu.