Defence Ministry Finally Approves Creation of Post of Deputy chief Of Army Staff (Strategy)
Dated : 05 Dec 2020 (IST)
It took nearly a year, but the “late Lateef” Ministry of Defence has woken up and finally approved the creation of the new post of Deputy chief of Army Staff (Strategy) to look after the key portfolios of military operations, strategic planning and Operational Logistics.
This will further strengthen and streamline our decision making process in the Army HQ. This will be the third post of DCOAS, who will also be a Principal Staff Officer to the COAS along with the other two DCOAS, Adjutant General, Quarter Master General and the Engineer In Chief.
The ministry has also completed formalities for creation of another new post of director general of information warfare simultaneously. The in-principle approval for creation of both the posts were given by the Cabinet Committee last year only as part of the first batch of reforms in the Army, and now the formal process for it has been completed. This should be a big salute to the SLOTHISM in our Ministry of Defence.
The post of deputy chief of the Army staff (strategy) has been created to oversee military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and operational logistics. Thus the DGMO, DGPP and DG OL, all three Lt Generals will be reporting to this third DCOAS.
The current Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, is set to become the first deputy chief of Army staff (strategy).
He is also the present Colonel of the Parachute Regiment and as the Chief of Staff of HQ Northern Command, he was the Chief artichitect of Planning of the famous Surgical Strike post Uri incident.
The new post of director general of information warfare has also been created in keeping with the needs of the future battlefield, hybrid warfare and social media realities.
The Army headquarters had instituted four studies with an overall aim to enhance the operational and functional efficiency of the force, optimise budget expenditure, facilitate modernisation and address aspirations.
The recommendation to create the new posts was made as a result of the studies.
