PM Modi broke news to General Bipin Rawat about appointment as first CDS

Outgoing Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Tuesday thanked all the army personnel and their families for extending full support to him in his three-year tenure at the helm of the 1.3 million force. He is set to take over as India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Tuesday. It is now revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the one who broke the news to General Bipin Rawat about his appointment as CDS.

Gen Rawat received farewell dinner by PM Modi

"The Prime Minister broke the news to Gen Rawat during his farewell dinner at the Prime Minister's residence about his appointment," news agency ANI quoted government sources. Notably, PM Modi had announced the creation of the post of CDS in his Independence Day speech on August 15 this year. General Rawat received a farewell dinner by the Prime Minister at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi which was attended by senior members of his cabinet and armed forces officers on Monday night.

His appointment was announced by the Defence Ministry around 9 pm on Monday after it was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. General Rawat becomes India's first CDS and will have his office in South Block ground floor while 3, Kamraj Marg in the Lutyens zone near Defence Ministry has been earmarked as his house. The new rank and badges for the CDS have also been created and he will don them from Wednesday.

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'I am confident he will take the Army to greater heights'

General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday took charge as the Chief of Army Staff, succeeding General Bipin Rawat. After receiving a farewell Guard of Honour this morning, General Bipin Rawat had said, "I am confident he (General Naravane) will take Army to greater heights". 

"The position Chief of Army Staff has many responsibilities. Till now, I was concentrating on my obligations as Chief of Army Staff. Now that I will have a new designation, I will sit and plan a strategy for the future. I will fulfil my role as Chief of Army Staff till the handover," he told reporters after paying tribute at the National War Memorial in Delhi.

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