New Delhi, September 15
The Vajpayee Government today gave the green light to the much-awaited tri-service command in Andaman and Nicobar islands and also decided to establish the country’s first-ever Integrated Defence Staff.

Announcing this to reporters after a two-and-a-half-hour long Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, Defence Minister Jaswant Singh said the CCS also reviewed the fluid situation in the wake of September 11 terrorists attacks on the United States of America.

Mr Jaswant Singh said the Integrated Defence Staff, comprising Army, Air Force and Navy would introduce in the Defence Service for the first time joint planning and joint strategy making.

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on National Security had recommended integrating the three services with the Defence Ministry and establishment of three services command in the highly strategic Andaman and Nicobar islands.

External Affairs and Defence Minister Jaswant Singh after a two-and-half-hour-long meeting of the CCS presided over by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee tonight announced the decision on the setting up of tri-service command.

“The Integrated Defence Staff and Andaman and Nicobar Command will be established for the first time in the country’s history,” Mr Jaswant Singh told reporters.

He said “now the Defence Ministry will put all other action on the ground.”

He said that the Integrated Defence Staff will be a Tri-Service Wing and will introduce for the first time joint planning, joint formulations and also to the extent possible joint training concepts.

Jaswant Singh said the CCS also reviewed the existing regional stations in the wake of terrorists strike in USA on September 11.