Chief of Defence Force Gen Bipin Rawat Has a New Uniform

Newly appointed Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat arrives for a joint military guard of honor after assuming office in New Delhi, India

(Photo: Associated Press)

General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, took office on 1 January. The role comes with multifaceted responsibilities and challenges. It also comes with a brand new uniform, a first for the Indian Armed Forces.

As being the senior-most military adviser to the government , the CDS will occupy an office in the South Block of the Secretariat Building in New Delhi. He will continue with his parent service uniform but the rank, badges and accouterments will reflect the values of “Jointness, Integration and Synergy”, according to the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG-PI), Ministry of Defence (Army).

The official insignia of the CDS, as represented on his peak cap.

An updated peak cap bearing the official insignia.

A new shoulder badge bearing the official CDS insignia and the Ashoka emblem.

The belt will also bear the official CDS insignia 

The CDS, who will also be the Permanent Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (PCCSC) does not have a higher rank; he is like the other Service chiefs, a four-star general.

But as the government notification details, there are a myriad of little ways in which he is very much primus inter pares or the first among equals, something the existing chiefs have not been used to.

When it comes to their own Service, the chief’s word is law, but now the government has clearly ordered the CDS/PCCSC to wade in and change things in the interests of jointness and “reducing wasteful expenditure.”