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DEFENCE: CDS CONTROVERSY
Differing Views
However, the IAF
does not agree. On condition of anonymity, an air marshal confides that
in a joint structure there should be equal representation for all the
elements. "Just because the army has a million men, it does not mean
that there will be a million generals," he says.
Under Tipnis the air force has been opposed
to the CDS concept but the Union Cabinet overruled its view. The IAF's
plan envisages the centralisation of all air assets. It is also opposed
to the "theatre" commander concept, where a force's field commander
can report directly to the defence minister via the CDS. According to
the IAF one of the main reasons for the 1962 debacle was that the corps
commander, acting as de facto theatre commander, reported directly to
the defence minister and the prime minister, bypassing the then army chief.
The IAF is of the view that as a strategic force
all nuclear-delivery systems-including the Agni intermediate-range ballistic
missile-should be placed under its control. The air force buttresses its
case by saying that it had been closely involved in India's nuclear programme
for at least a decade before the army and the navy came into picture.
However, much to the chagrin of Tipnis, Jaswant
has directed the army to handle the storage and operational deployment
of the Agni missile as soon it is inducted into the Indian defence arsenal.
The Defence Ministry's logic in giving Agni to the army is that the weapon
is a land-based deterrent and only the army has the logistical strength
to handle India's sole nuclear-tipped missile.
Former army chief General Shankar Roychoudhary
feels that the IAF's objections are nothing but a manifestation of inter-services
rivalry. Says Roychoudhary, now a Rajya Sabha member: "The IAF is
being unfair in asking for the control of the strategic command. Air power
alone does not win wars." He advocates that it is about time the
three chiefs and the defence minister sat together and ironed out their
differences.
One such meeting took place on August 3, on
the sidelines of the COSC discussion on the proposed Defence Intelligence
Agency. It seems that Jaswant directed the COSC to clear up the matter
before Tipnis met him. While the IAF spokesman says that matters between
the defence minister and the air chief are confidential, it is learnt
that Jaswant has told the service chiefs that the IAF can always have
a view but not objections. It remains to be seen whether Tipnis will abide
by this advice or will push for a fresh round of confrontation that could
turn serious.
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