As Officers Secure Civilian Ranks in the DMA, the Military's Goal of Assimilation Moves Ahead
Those who support the move believe that more such appointments would advance India’s long-deferred defence modernisation.
Editorial Staff
As Officers Secure Civilian Ranks in the DMA, the Military's Goal of Assimilation Moves Ahead
A bizarre paradox has emerged in recent decades in India’s higher military circles, especially the Army, of not only seeking all-round one-upmanship over their civilian counterparts but also of completing the circle and striving doggedly for bureaucratic rank structures. This manifested itself recently, after four service officers – two from the Indian Army (IA) and one each from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy (IN) – were formally appointed additional and joint secretaries in the newly created Department of Military Affairs (DMA) . All four officers – including one three-star and three two-star officers – had earlier been conferred equivalent brevet civilian ranks in the DMA, but were officially confirmed in their posts only last week by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, or the ACC, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These officers were also the first-ever military officers to secure these civilian appointments – and ranks – after Independence. They include Lieut…
