The government has named outgoing Army Chief General Bipin Rawat as the first chief of defence staff.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on December 24, approved the CDS post and its charter and duties.

Though a 4-star general with the same pay and perks like the three service chiefs, who will retain full operational control over their forces, the CDS will be the "first among equals" as the permanent chairman of CoSC and head of a new department of military affairs in the Ministry of Defence.

The CDS will have all the powers like other secretaries, including financial.

Rawat, who is retiring on December 31, will hand over the baton to Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh at a pre-scheduled function for the ceremonial transfer of the baton of chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC).

The appointment comes days after Rawat expressed his criticism over violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"Leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions, as we are witnessing in a large number of university and college students, the way they are leading masses of crowds to carry out arson and violence in our cities and towns. This is not leadership," the Army Chief said at a health summit.

First Published:Dec 30, 2019 3:05 PM IST