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US, Maldives congratulate outgoing Army Chief Bipin Rawat for becoming India's first CDS

India Blooms News Service | @indiablooms | Dec 31, 2019, at 08:57 am

#CDS #BipinRawat

New Delhi/IBNS: India's outgoing Army chief Bipin Rawat will take charge as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and countries like USA and Maldives have congratulated him over the achievement.

U.S. Ambassador to India Ken Juster tweeted: "Hearty congratulations to @adgpi General Bipin Rawat on being named India’s first Chief of Defence Staff. Looking forward to more productive discussions on ways to advance the #USIndiaDefense partnership. #OneTeamOneMission."

Hearty congratulations to @adgpi General Bipin Rawat on being named India’s first Chief of Defence Staff. Looking forward to more productive discussions on ways to advance the #USIndiaDefense partnership. #OneTeamOneMission pic.twitter.com/AMSvn8LRmg
— Ken Juster (@USAmbIndia) December 30, 2019

Maldives''s Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid congratulated Rawat and said: "Heartiest congratulations to Gen Bipin Rawat on being appointed as the first Chief of the Defence Staff of India. It was a great honour receiving Gen Rawat in Male’ a few months back. #MaldivesIndiaDefencePartnership is on a very strong footing.
@MEAIndia @adgpi @EoIMaldives."

Maldives is the second country to wish India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat on his appointment. https://t.co/PyV1vhF9wP
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 30, 2019

Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday was appointed as the country's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The move to constitute the post was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day.

General Rawat is a graduate of Defence Service Staff College, Wellington in Tamil Nadu and has spent 10 years in anti-insurgency operations.

He will hold the office for the next three years.

The CDS will report to the government directly and will be responsible for coordianted action between Army, Navy and Air Force. He will also act as the nodal adviser to the government.

He will have Secretary level and full-financial powers.

The demand for CDS is a longstanding one. According to military experts, it is a need of the hour and is important for any modern army.

Recently, Gen. Rawat had courted a controversy by making a political statement criticising the leaders protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

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