Service chiefs lock horns over posts’ upgradation

The Defence Minister has now told the three chiefs to sort out the matter at the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and come back with a joint proposal for the implementation of the report. A meeting on the matter has been scheduled for Thursday. As per recommendations of the report, the Army should get 95 new Major General and Lieutenant General-level posts, the Navy 23 new Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral-level posts and the Air Force 38 new Air Marshal and Air Vice Marshal-level posts.

However, sources say, Singh argued that the creation of extra posts should give equal mobility to officers at senior ranks in all three services and needs to be proportional to the strength of officers in the respective forces. While it is unclear how many extra posts were demanded, Singh said the measure was required as the AV Singh Commission Report in 2004 recommended that the Army should be made the most attractive force for officers.

Meanwhile, the outgoing Army Chief’s outburst has not been taken in good humour by the other two services who see it as a backward movement that will delay the upgradation of posts.