Gen Bipin to oversee deployment of forces, border disputes with Pakistan

The News:The newly created department of military affairs (DMA), headed by chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat, will oversee key matters related to India’s neighbouring countries including border disputes and incidents, development of infrastructure in forward areas and deployment of forces, according to a new defence ministry order.

These countries include China, Pakistan and Bhutan, foreign media reported on Sunday. Supply of arms and ammunition to friendly neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives will also come under the purview of the DMA, said the order published on Friday. It gave out details of work transferred from the ministry’s department of defence (DoD) to the DMA.

The new department is an addition to the four existing verticals in the defence ministry — those of defence, defence production, defence research, and development and ex-service welfare.

Rawat, who took over as India’s first CDS on December 31, is the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters related to the tri-services. Issues related to counter-insurgency operations and Siachen glacier will be dealt with by the DMA