India, Australia name officers’ exchange programme after CDS Gen Rawat

The Indian Army had last month dedicated a chair of excellence in Rawat’s memory at the United Service Institution of India (USI) --- the country’s oldest think-tank founded in 1870.

India and Australia have set up a Young Defence Officers’ Exchange Programme in memory of late chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat and named it after him. He was killed in a helicopter crash last December.

Chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat who was posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan on March 21, was spearheading the military’s theaterisation drive to enhance the effectiveness of the armed forces and reshape the conduct of future operations. (HT FILE PHOTO.)

“#Outcomes #AusIndSummit: In recognition of the contributions of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, the Australian and Indian governments announced an Australia-India Young Defence Officers’ Exchange Programme named in his honour,” Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell wrote on Twitter.

The Indian Army had last month dedicated a chair of excellence in Rawat’s memory at the United Service Institution of India (USI) --- the country’s oldest think-tank founded in 1870.

Rawat, who was posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan on March 21, was spearheading the military’s theaterisation drive to enhance the effectiveness of the armed forces and reshape the conduct of future operations.

Rawat took over as CDS on December 31, 2019, after serving as army chief for a full three-year term. He held the four-star rank for almost five years, making him the longest serving four-star general in India.