Page 195 - Leadership in the Indian Army

From the way Manekshaw carried on in 1971 and in the publicity that was showered on him
both during the war and after, the impression was created that he was, in fact, operating as a de
facto Chief of Defence Staff even though he was at the time Chairman of the COSC (Chiefs of
Staff Committee) in which capacity he was one of three equal partners.

Lal was at Chabua, near Dibrugarh, on 24 March 1972, when he received a
telephone call from P.N. Haksar, the Principal Private Secretary to the
Prime Minister. Haksar told him that the government was considering the
creation of the post of CDS and appointing Sam Manekshaw to it in
recognition of the manner in which he had directed the Bangladesh War. Lal

was asked for his views before a final decision was taken. The Air Chief
sent his comments to Haksar the same evening, in which he raised serious
objections to the proposal. In fact, he asserted: ‘I saw in the proposed
arrangement a positive danger to frank and free discussions particularly if
the CDS happened to be excessively assertive and intolerant of the ideas of
others.’
In view of the strong opposition from the Air Force, or rather, the Air

Chief—Lal could not possibly have consulted others in the few hours
before he sent his reply—the proposal to create the post of CDS was
dropped. In subsequent years, the Services came to realise the need for the
appointment and clamoured for its creation. There was some talk of
creating the appointment in 1987, when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime
Minister and Arun Singh the Defence Minister, but Exercise ‘Brass Tacks’

and the Bofors affair put paid to the proposal. The opportunity was allowed
to pass, and may not come again.
Sam was due to retire in June 1972, but was given an extension of six
months. He was not keen to continue and had made known his desire to the
Prime Minister. However, she wanted him to stay on and told Sam that he
would not be allowed to proceed on retirement. When Sam told her that he
had no intention of staying on and there was no law under which he could

be forced to do so, there was some consternation. Finally someone found a
way out. It was reasoned that if Sam received a direct order from the
President who was also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he
would have to obey. The President’s consent was obtained and his
directions published in the Gazette of India, indicating that Sam would
continue to hold the office of Chief of Army Staff till the President was

pleased to dispense with his services.
The rank of Field Marshal was formally conferred on Sam at a special
investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 3 January 1973. Since