Nearly 2000 New Posts Created in the Indian Armed Forces
Dated 4/10/2008
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In a major step to improve career mobility in the Armed Forces, the Union Cabinet today created 1,896 posts in the higher ranks of the three services — Army, Navy and Air Force. The measures would enable progressive promotion of junior officers, reducing the age profile of officers in select ranks.
While these new posts will be filled up over the next five to 10 years, the government will bear an additional expense of Rs 8.44 crore annually for these additional ranks.
According to Ministry of Defence, the upgrade will be carried out in the Army over a period of five years, in the Navy over the next 10 years and in the Air Force over a period of five years.
The total number of posts to be upgraded will be 1,051 in the Army, 342 in the Navy and 503 in the Air Force. Of the 1,051 posts in the Army, 20 are at the level of lieutenant general and equivalent, 75 at major general and equivalent, 222 at brigadier and equivalent, and 734 at colonel and equivalent.
The corresponding figures in the Navy will be four at vice admiral and equivalent, 14 at rear admiral and equivalent, 324 at commodore, captain and equivalent.
In the Air Force the move will be effected for six post at Air Marshal and equivalent, 21 at air vice marshal and equivalent, 61 at air commodore and equivalent, 415 at group captain and equivalent.
The ministry had set up a committee on July 2001 under the chairmanship of Ajay Vikram Singh. The committee’s aim was to find ways to achieve “combat effectiveness” by bringing down the age profile of battalion/brigade level commanders. The committee had submitted its report in 2003. The decision comes after almost five years of submission of the committee’s recommendation.
