Fernandes set to revive defunct Defence panel

NEW DELHI, March 24: The new Defence Minister, George Fernandes, has decided to revive the Defence Minister's Committee (DMC). His decision ...

NEW DELHI, March 24: The new Defence Minister, George Fernandes, has decided to revive the Defence Minister’s Committee (DMC). His decision followed a meeting with high level military and civil officials here today.

The DMC, headed by the Defence Minister, comprises the Defence Secretary, the military chiefs and the Financial Adviser (Defence Services). Importantly, it would enable the military chiefs to participate effectively in the national security decision making process.

The DMC is a formal platform which focuses on inter-service matters. Although the committee was set up in 1947 by Lord Ismay, it met sporadically and became dysfunctional by 1962. Later YB Chavan, who was then the defence minister, instituted Monday morning meetings as an informal forum to discuss national security affairs.

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The Defence Minister’s first weekly meeting with various officials today aimed at obtaining a broad overview of national security in all its parameters. Fernandes met the three Chiefs of Staff — General VPMalik, Air Chief Marshal SK Sareen and Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat.

Others who were present at the meeting were Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian, Cabinet Secretary designate Prabhat Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Brajesh Mishra, Foreign Secretary K Raghunath, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister APJ Abdul Kalam, Defence Secretary Ajit Kumar and Secretary of Defence Production and Supplies TS Vijayraghavan.

The weekly meetings will now be a regular feature in the Ministry of Defence. The last time such weekly meetings were held was in November 1997.