Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha took over as the Chairman of COSC

Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on 30 July 2014 took over as the Chairman of the Chief of Staff Committee (COSC). He received the baton of Chairman, COSC from outgoing Chief of Army Staff, General Bikram Singh at a brief ceremony in the South Block, New Delhi.

About Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha

• He graduated from the National Defence Academy, Pune with the President’s Gold Medal in 1973 and was commissioned in the flying Branch of Indian Air Force in December 1974.
• He is an experienced fighter pilot, a qualified Flying Instructor and a Fight Combat Leader with nearly 3400 hours of flying experience to his credit, primarily on fighter aircraft.
• The Air Chief Marshal has the rare distinction of being the Air Officer Comamnding in Chief of two Operational Air Commands i.e. Central Air Command and the Western Air Command.
• He also is an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College, Delhi
• For his distinguished service, he has been awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal
• He was appointed as Honorary Aide De Camp (Air) to the Hon’ble President of India with effect from 1 December 2012

About Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC)

• The Chiefs of Staff Committee is a forum for service chiefs to discuss matters having a bearing on the activities of services and to advise the ministry.
• Its members include Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (a non-voting member).
• The position of chairman devolves on the longest serving Chief of Staff and rotates amongst the chiefs of services
• The function of the COSC is advising the Defence Minister and normally through him the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on all military matters which require ministerial consideration.

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