Army reforms: Dy Chief to handle operational issues

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 4

In what sets the ball rolling for structural reforms at the top within the Indian Army, a new post of Deputy Chief Strategy has been carved out, all operational issues have been clubbed under one vertical to be headed by him.

There is no creation of an additional post or a financial outgo as the already sanctioned and existing post of Director

General Rashtriya Rifles has been re-named as the Deputy Chief Strategy.

The Deputy Chief Strategy will have various tasks under him to include running operations to intelligence gathering to operational logistics like moving like fuel, vehicles and equipment. Also, strategy planning will be under the same official.

The Director General Military Operations (DGMO), Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI), DG Operational Logistics, DG Strategy Planning and the newly created post of DG Information Warfare (DGIW) will be under the Deputy Chief Strategy.

The DGIW will have the media outreach wing under him that includes tackling misinformation of social media and timing release of information, pictures and videos to the media — newspapers, TV and websites.

At present, each of these DG’s reported separately to the Vice Chief of the Indian Army, who is burdened with multiple issues and it created communication gaps in smooth functioning. The day-to-day operations of the entire Army are managed by the Vice Chief and that includes coordination with the Ministry of Defence.

This is the third post of the Deputy Chief of the Indian Army and by far the most important as it will deal with operations, intelligence, information and logistics. A formal sanction from the government has come and Lt General Paramjit Singh has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Strategy.

He will replace the Director General Military Operations (DGMO) as one the Principal Staff Officers of the Army Chief.