Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
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Incumbent General Anil Chauhan PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM since 30 September 2022 | |
Type | Highest ranking military officer |
Status | Head of the Chiefs of Staff Committee |
Abbreviation | Chairman COSC[1] |
Member of | Chiefs of Staff Committee |
Reports to | Minister of Defence |
Nominator | Defence Minister |
Appointer | President of India |
Term length | Until retirement |
Formation | 15 August 1947[2] |
First holder | General Rob Lockhart |
Deputy | Chief of Integrated Defence Staff |
The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC)[1] is a position in the Indian Armed Forces, usually held by a four-star officer serving as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian military. The position holder chairs the Chiefs of Staff Committee, and serves as the principal adviser to the prime minister and Minister of Defence. The position is not a statutory office but rather a title held by the senior most serving military officer of India. Until 2020, the chairmanship of the COSC was held in rotation by the senior-most service chief until his retirement, but this arrangement was found to be unsatisfactory.[3][4] Thus, when the post of the CDS was established, its holder was also made the permanent Chairman COSC.[5][6]
In the absence of the CDS, a temporary Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee may be appointed. On 15 December 2021, after the demise of General Bipin Rawat, the then Chief of Defence Staff on 8 December in a plane crash, General Manoj Mukund Naravane was appointed Chairman COSC. He remained in office until his retirement on 30 April 2022, following which the position fell vacant.[7] After four months, Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan (Retired) was appointed the CDS and permanent Chairman, COSC on 28 September.
The Chiefs of Staff Committee was established on 15 August 1947, upon Indian independence, and was conceived as the "supreme professional body" to advise the Minister of Defence and the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on all military-related matters. The chairman of the committee was the Commander-in-Chief (Chief of Staff from 1955) of the three armed forces who has been on the committee for the longest. General Sir Robert Lockhart was the first chairman, with General K. M. Cariappa appointed the first Indian chairman on 14 October 1951.[2] The committee was assisted by several sub-committees dealing with specific problems pertaining to administrative, training and planning matters.
Following the end of the Kargil war, Kargil Review Committee found there was a lack of communication between the service branches, and therefore suggested to create the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). This was however rejected by many members of the military, arguing that only great or imperial powers engaging in power projection needed that amount of integration.[8] A compromise was reached with the office of the COSC.[9] The chairman was responsible for inter-service synergy.[3] However, as the Chairman COSC only served as Primus inter pares to the other Chiefs of Staff, he did not wield any power.[10] The chairman was assisted by the Integrated Defence Staff.[11][12]
Talks concerning the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff position continued for over a decade,[10] along with a suggestion the position of chairman be made permanent, with a renewable two-year term.[10] Both of these suggestions were rejected by the Indian Air Force.[10] In December 2018, however, the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sunil Lanba stated the heads of the three services had "finally agreed on a permanent chief of staff committee," and the matter had been sent to the Defence Ministry for consideration.[13]
On Independence Day 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the government's decision to make the Chief of Defence Staff the permanent Chairman COSC, with the CDS being a "first among equals" among the service chiefs, who would deal with India's national security with a comprehensive approach, acting as a single-point military adviser to the prime minister and defence minister.[14]
Following the death of the late CDS Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in December 2021, the government reverted to the previous system as a stop-gap arrangement and appointed General Manoj Mukund Naravane as Chairman COSC.[15][16][17] He remained in office until his retirement on 30 April 2022. The post remained vacant until the appointment of Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan (Retired) as CDS and permanent Chairman, COSC on 28 September.
† Died in office.
No. | Portrait | Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lockhart, RobGeneral Sir Robert Mcgregor Macdonald Lockhart KCB CIE MC (1893–1981) | 15 August 1947 | 31 December 1947 | 138 days | ![]() | [18][19] | |
2 | Elmhirst, ThomasAir Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst KBE, CB, AFC, DL (1895–1982) | 31 December 1947 | 26 January 1950 | 2 years, 26 days | ![]() | [19] | |
3 | Parry, EdwardAdmiral Sir William Edward Parry KCB (1893–1970) | 26 January 1950 | 13 October 1951 | 1 year, 260 days | ![]() | [19] | |
4 | Cariappa, K MGeneral Kodandera Madappa Cariappa OBE (1899–1993) | 14 October 1951 | 14 January 1953 | 1 year, 92 days | ![]() | [20][2] | |
5 | Pizey, CharlesAdmiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey KBE CB DSO* (1899–1993) | 14 January 1953 | 22 July 1955 | 2 years, 189 days | ![]() | . | |
6 | Mukerjee, SubrotoAir Marshal Subroto Mukerjee OBE (1911–1960) | 22 July 1955 | 8 November 1960† | 5 years, 109 days | ![]() | [21] | |
7 | Thimayya, K SGeneral Kodandera Subayya Thimayya DSO (1906–1965) | 9 November 1960 | 7 May 1961 | 179 days | ![]() | [22] | |
8 | Katari, Ram DassVice Admiral Ram Dass Katari PVSM, AVSM (1911–1983) | 7 May 1961 | 4 June 1962 | 1 year, 28 days | ![]() | [23] | |
9 | Engineer, AspyAir Marshal Aspy Marwan Engineer DFC (1912–2002) | 4 June 1962 | 24 July 1964 | 2 years, 50 days | ![]() | [24] | |
10 | Soman, Bhaskar SadashivVice Admiral Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman (1913–1995) | 24 July 1964 | 3 March 1966 | 1 year, 222 days | ![]() | [25] | |
11 | Chaudhuri, Jayanto NathGeneral Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE (1908–1983) | 3 March 1966 | 7 June 1966 | 96 days | ![]() | [26] | |
12 | Singh, ArjanAir Chief Marshal Arjan Singh DFC (1919–2017) | 7 June 1966 | 15 July 1969 | 3 years, 38 days | ![]() | [27] | |
13 | Chatterji, Adhar KumarAdmiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji (1914–2001) | 15 July 1969 | 24 February 1970 | 224 days | ![]() | [19][28] | |
14 | Manekshaw, SamField Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw MC (1914–2008) | 24 February 1970 | 15 January 1973 | 2 years, 326 days | ![]() | [29] | |
15 | Bewoor, GopalGeneral Gopal Gurunath Bewoor PVSM (1916–1989) | 15 January 1973 | 1 January 1975 | 1 year, 351 days | ![]() | [30] | |
16 | Mehra, Om PrakashAir Chief Marshal Om Prakash Mehra PVSM (1919–2015) | 1 January 1975 | 31 January 1976 | 1 year, 30 days | ![]() | [31] | |
17 | Kohli, Sourendra NathAdmiral Sourendra Nath Kohli PVSM (1916–2007) | 31 January 1976 | 29 February 1976 | 2 years, 326 days | ![]() | [32] | |
18 | Raina, TapishwarGeneral Tapishwar Narain Raina MVC (1921–1980) | 29 February 1976 | 31 May 1978 | 2 years, 92 days | ![]() | [33] | |
19 | Moolgavkar, HrushikeshAir Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar PVSM, MVC (1920–2015) | 31 May 1978 | 30 August 1978 | 91 days | ![]() | [34] | |
20 | Cursetji, JalAdmiral Jal Cursetji PVSM (1919–1991) | 30 August 1978 | 1 March 1979 | 183 days | ![]() | . | |
21 | Malhotra, Om PrakashGeneral Om Prakash Malhotra PVSM (1922–2015) | 1 March 1979 | 31 May 1981 | 2 years, 91 days | ![]() | [35] | |
22 | Latif, IdrisAir Chief Marshal Idris Hasan Latif PVSM (1923–2018) | 31 May 1981 | 30 August 1981 | 91 days | ![]() | [36] | |
23 | Pereira, RonaldAdmiral Ronald Lynsdale Pereira PVSM, AVSM (1923–1993) | 30 August 1981 | 26 February 1982 | 180 days | ![]() | [37][38] | |
24 | Rao, KrishnaGeneral Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao PVSM (1923–2016) | 1 March 1982 | 31 July 1983 | 1 year, 152 days | ![]() | [39] | |
25 | Singh, DilbaghAir Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh PVSM, AVSM, VM (1926–2001) | 31 July 1983 | 3 September 1984 | 1 year, 34 days | ![]() | [40] | |
26 | Dawson, OscarAdmiral Oscar Stanley Dawson PVSM, AVSM (1923–2011) | 5 September 1984 | 30 November 1984 | 86 days | ![]() | [41] | |
27 | Vaidya, ArunGeneral Arun Shridhar Vaidya PVSM, MVC & Bar, AVSM (1926–1986) | 1 December 1984 | 31 January 1986 | 1 year, 61 days | ![]() | [42][43] | |
28 | Tahiliani, RadhakrishnaAdmiral Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani PVSM, AVSM (1930–2015) | 1 February 1986 | 30 November 1987 | 1 year, 302 days | ![]() | [44][45] | |
29 | La Fontaine, DenisAir Chief Marshal Denis La Fontaine PVSM, AVSM, VSM (1929–2011) | 1 December 1987 | 31 July 1988 | 182 days | ![]() | [46] | |
30 | Nadkarni, JayantAdmiral Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM (1931–2018) | 1 July 1988 | 30 November 1990 | 2 years, 152 days | ![]() | [47][48] | |
31 | Mehra, SurinderAir Chief Marshal Surinder Mehra PVSM, AVSM, VM (1932–2003) | 1 December 1990 | 31 July 1991 | 242 days | ![]() | [49][50] | |
32 | Rodrigues, SunithGeneral Sunith Francis Rodrigues PVSM, VSM (1933–2022) | 1 August 1991 | 30 June 1993 | 1 year, 333 days | ![]() | [51] | |
33 | Ramdas, LaxminarayanAdmiral Laxminarayan Ramdas PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM (1933–2024) | 1 July 1993 | 30 September 1993 | 91 days | ![]() | [52][53] | |
34 | Joshi, BipinGeneral Bipin Chandra Joshi PVSM, AVSM (1935–1994) | 1 October 1993 | 19 November 1994† | 1 year, 49 days | ![]() | . | |
35 | Kaul, SwaroopAir Chief Marshal Swaroop Krishna Kaul PVSM, MVC (born 1935) | 20 November 1994 | 31 December 1995 | 1 year, 41 days | ![]() | [54] | |
36 | Shekhawat, Vijai SinghAdmiral Vijai Singh Shekhawat PVSM, AVSM, VrC (born 1933) | 31 December 1995 | 30 September 1996 | 274 days | ![]() | [55] | |
37 | Roychowdhury, ShankarGeneral Shankar Roychowdhury PVSM (born 1937) | 1 October 1996 | 30 September 1997 | 364 days | ![]() | [56] | |
38 | Sareen, SatishAir Chief Marshal Satish Sareen PVSM, AVSM, VM (born 1939) | 1 October 1997 | 31 December 1998 | 1 year, 91 days | ![]() | [56][57] | |
39 | Malik, VedGeneral Ved Prakash Malik PVSM, AVSM (born 1939) | 1 January 1999 | 30 September 2000 | 1 year, 273 days | ![]() | [58][59] | |
40 | Kumar, SushilAdmiral Sushil Kumar PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM (1940–2019) | 1 October 2000 | 29 December 2001 | 1 year, 89 days | ![]() | [59] | |
41 | Padmanabhan, SundararajanGeneral Sundararajan Padmanabhan PVSM, AVSM, VSM (born 1940) | 30 December 2001 | 31 December 2002 | 1 year, 1 day | ![]() | [60] | |
42 | Singh, MadhvendraAdmiral Madhvendra Singh PVSM, AVSM | 31 December 2002 | 31 July 2004 | 1 year, 213 days | ![]() | [60] | |
43 | Krishnaswamy, SrinivasapuramAir Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy PVSM, AVSM, VM & bar (born 1943) | 31 July 2004 | 29 December 2004 | 151 days | ![]() | [61] | |
44 | Vij, Nirmal ChanderGeneral Nirmal Chander Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (born 1943) | 30 December 2004 | 30 January 2005 | 31 days | ![]() | [61] | |
45 | Prakash, ArunAdmiral Arun Prakash PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM (born 1944) | 31 January 2005 | 31 October 2006 | 1 year, 273 days | ![]() | [61] | |
46 | Tyagi, Shashindra PalAir Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi PVSM, AVSM, VM (born 1945) | 31 October 2006 | 31 March 2007 | 151 days | ![]() | . | |
47 | Singh, Joginder JaswantGeneral Joginder Jaswant Singh PVSM, AVSM, VSM (born 1945) | 31 March 2007 | 30 September 2007 | 183 days | ![]() | . | |
48 | Mehta, SureeshAdmiral Sureesh Mehta PVSM, AVSM (born 1947) | 30 September 2007 | 31 August 2009 | 1 year, 335 days | ![]() | . | |
49 | Kapoor, DeepakGeneral Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (born 1948) | 31 August 2009 | 31 March 2010 | 212 days | ![]() | . | |
50 | Naik, PradeepAir Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik PVSM, VSM (born 1949) | 31 March 2010 | 30 July 2011 | 1 year, 121 days | ![]() | [62] | |
51 | Naik, PradeepAdmiral Nirmal Kumar Verma PVSM, AVSM (born 1949) | 30 July 2011 | 31 August 2012 | 1 year, 32 days | ![]() | [63] | |
52 | Browne, NormanAir Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne PVSM, AVSM, VM (born 1951) | 31 August 2012 | 31 December 2013 | 1 year, 122 days | ![]() | . | |
53 | Singh, BikramGeneral Bikram Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (born 1951) | 31 December 2013 | 31 July 2014 | 212 days | ![]() | [3] | |
54 | Raha, ArupAir Chief Marshal Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM (born 1954) | 31 July 2014 | 31 December 2016 | 2 years, 153 days | ![]() | . | |
55 | Raha, ArupAdmiral Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM (born 1957) | 31 December 2016 | 31 May 2019 | 2 years, 151 days | ![]() | [64] | |
56 | Dhanoa, Birender SinghAir Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VM (born 1957) | 31 May 2019 | 27 September 2019 | 119 days | ![]() | [65] | |
57 | Rawat, BipinGeneral Bipin Rawat PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM (1958–2021) | 27 September 2019[a] | 8 December 2021† | 2 years, 72 days | ![]() | [66] | |
Vacant 8–15 December 2021 | |||||||
– | Naravane, Manoj MukundGeneral Manoj Mukund Naravane PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC (born 1960) Acting | 15 December 2021 | 30 April 2022 | 136 days | ![]() | [7] | |
Vacant 30 April 2022 – 30 September 2022 | |||||||
58 | Chauhan, AnilGeneral Anil Chauhan PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (born 1961) | 30 September 2022 | Incumbent | 1 year, 293 days | ![]() |
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