NSA Ajit Doval, seen here with PM Modi, is heading the committee charged with appointing the new CDS(File | PTI)

The government is all set to announce the appointment of the chief of defence staff by early December. According to sources, the government has sought the names of commander-in-chief-rank officers from the three services for finalising the appointee.

As part of the process, the government has also identified the appointment house for the individual appointed as the first chief of defence staff. An implementation committee under National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has held meetings to decide on the structure and responsibilities of the CDS.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on August 15 that the armed forces have a chief of defence staff as the single point contact between them and government.

The three services have forwarded the names of their commander-in-chief rank officers as was asked for by the government. "The implementation committee report is also complete and would be finalised by the government soon," government officials said.

The sources in defence ministry said in the initial stages of discussion on the issue, the government functionaries wanted an army officer to be in the position.

The sources said the purpose of seeking more names from services is to consider a larger pool of officers while making the appointment for the new office. It is most likely that the appointment would be made from the existing senior-most officers from the three services by the beginning of next month, the sources said.

During the discussions, the defence forces had conveyed to the government that the CDS could be an officer higher in protocol than the existing services chiefs. The forces are also of the view that the CDS should be placed probably at 11A in the order of precedence where he would be above the services chiefs but a notch below the Cabinet Secretary.

When the CDS is appointed, the first vice chief of defence staff would be Vice Admiral C Hari Kumar from the Navy who would be replacing Lt Gen P Rajeshwar who is going to head the tri-services operational command in Andaman and Nicobar. At present, the three services operate under the Integrated Defence Staff with joint staffing from the three forces.