Introduction and Background

- The Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations and the Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations were recently released by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan.

- These doctrines have been developed in response to the ever-changing complexities of modern warfare.

- They aim to provide strategic guidance to Commanders for operations in the unique environments of seaborne operations and cyberspace, respectively.

 

Understanding the Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations

- The Doctrine is a key document providing guidelines for Amphibious Operations in complex military environments.

- It boosts the Armed Forces' capabilities to undertake various operations within the Indian Ocean Region, in both wartime and peacetime scenarios.

- These operations play a critical role in multi-domain military engagements and require high levels of coordination among the Armed Forces.

 

Insight into the Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations

- Cyberspace is understood as the global network encompassing entities processing, storing, and transmitting digital information and code.

- Besides traditional warfare domains - land, sea, and air - cyberspace has emerged as a critical field in modern warfare that requires a targeted strategy.

- This doctrine brings to the fore military aspects of cyberspace operations, providing strategic guidance for planning and execution of these operations, and fostering awareness among military personnel at all levels.

 

The Role of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) 

- The role of CDS was first suggested by a Group of Ministers (GoM) following the Kargil Review Committee report in 1999.

- In preparation for the post, the Integrated Defence Staff was established in 2002 which would later serve as the secretariat for the CDS.

- In 2012, the Naresh Chandra Committee recommended a Permanent Chairman for the Chiefs of Staff Committee to eliminate concerns over the CDS' position.

- Finally, in 2019, based on recommendations by a committee of defence experts led by Lt General DB Shekatkar, the post of the CDS was officially created. General Bipin Rawat was subsequently appointed as the first CDS on 31st December 2019.

 

Responsibilities and Powers of the CDS

- The CDS heads the newly formed Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Ministry of Defence and serves as a single-point military advisor to the Defence Minister on matters involving all three services.

- As the head of DMA, the CDS is responsible for prioritising inter-service procurement decisions.

- While vested with the authority to provide directives to the three chiefs, the CDS doesn't enjoy any command authority over any force.

- The CDS has the rank of Secretary within the Department of Defence (DoD) and his powers are confined to the revenue budget.

- He also performs an advisory role in the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA).