Vice admiral Shekhar Sinha is new IDS chief

New Delhi: The government has finally cleared the appointment of vice admiral Shekhar Sinha as the new chief of integrated defence staff (CISC). The appointment comes almost two months after the last CISC, vice admiral DK Joshi, took over as chief of the Western Naval Command at Mumbai on 30 April.

Vice admiral Sinha had filed a statutory complaint against some adverse remarks made in his annual confidential report and also had made a representation that he should be considered for a posting commensurate with his rank. The validity of his contention was upheld by the ministry of defence on the advice of the law ministry.

It is alleged that major reason for the delay in his appointment was another naval officer's name "being pushed by some higher-ups" for the same post.

A veteran qualified flying instructor, vice admiral Sinha has flown different types of aircraft in his career spanning close to four decades. The Vice Admiral has also commanded various ships and naval air stations in his career.

The creation of the CISC's post was an interim measure in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil conflict till a full-fledged chief-of-defence staff (CDS) was created. But, over a decade later, the CDS is nowhere in sight.

The GoM report in 2001 on "reforming the national security system" had stressed the need for a CDS to provide single-point military advice to government and manage the country's nuclear arsenal.

The CDS was also supposed to resolve inter-service doctrinal, planning, procurement and operational issues.