Consider the following statements about the position of the Chief of Defence Staff: 1. He is the Head of the Department of Military Affairs within the Ministry of Defence. 2. He is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. 3. He does not exercise any military command over the three Service Chiefs. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct regarding the post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), established in 2019 to enhance tri-service synergy.

• Statement 1: The CDS serves as the Secretary and head of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) within the Ministry of Defence, handling administrative and promotional matters of the armed forces.
• Statement 2: The CDS is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), a role previously held by the senior-most Service Chief on a rotational basis.
• Statement 3: The CDS is a "first among equals" and does not exercise military command over the three Service Chiefs. The Service Chiefs continue to command their respective services and provide service-specific advice to the Defence Minister. The CDS provides single-point military advice to the government and focuses on jointness in procurement, training, and operations.