The U.S. has congratulated General Bipin Rawat on his appointment as India's first Chief of Defence Staff, saying this will help "catalyse" greater defence cooperation between the two countries.
General Rawat was on Monday appointed to the post with a mandate to bring in convergence in the functioning of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and bolster the country's military prowess.
His appointment to the newly created post came a day before he was due to retire following a three-year tenure as the Army Chief during which he initiated a series of reforms in the 1.3 million-strong force besides following a policy of "hot pursuit" in dealing with cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congrats to General Bipin Rawat on his appointment as India's first-ever Chief of Defence Staff, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells said in a tweet on Monday soon after his elevation.
The position will help catalyse greater U.S.-India 'joint' cooperation between our militaries as discussed at recent 2+2, including through joint exercises and info sharing, Wells said.
Defence cooperation between the two countries increased significantly in the last decade and a half, but the highest level of interactions was missing as India did not have an official equivalent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Rawat's appointment is expected to change that.
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