Article Posted on : - Jun 28, 2011

Integrated Defence Staff.

NEW DELHI (PTI): Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, an ace naval aviator, has been appointed Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), almost two months after the top tri-services post fell vacant.

Sinha's name for the post was cleared Monday by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Defence Ministry officials said here.

The Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) is a tri-services organisation headed in turns by Lt Gen-rank officers from the three services and this time, it was Navy's turn.

The previous CISC, Vice Admiral D K Joshi, took over as the Western Naval Command chief at Mumbai on April 30 and since then, the post was lying vacant, with Sinha being the officiating CISC.

He was till now holding the charge of the Deputy CISC.

The Defence Ministry had sent the case for appointment of the CISC to the Law Ministry, which gave its opinion that Sinha should be given the charge of the tri-services organisation, official sources said.

A veteran qualified flying instructor, Sinha has flown different types of aircraft in his career spanning close to four decades. The Vice Admiral has also commanded various ships and naval air stations in his career.