DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS (DMA)

About:

• The DMA is the fifth department in the MoD — the others being the Department of Defence, the Department of Defence Production, the Department of Defence Research and Development and the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare.
  
  
• The DMA, headed by Gen. Bipin Rawat, will have two Joint Secretaries, 13 Deputy Secretaries, 25 Under Secretaries and 22 Section officers.
  
  
• The Services have been brought under the ambit of the DMA, in addition to the Territorial Army and works relating to the three Services and procurement exclusive to the Services, except capital acquisitions. The training policy, most of the training establishments and cadre management of the Services would be under the purview of the DMA.
  
  
• The DMA’s mandate includes promoting jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the Services; facilitating a restructuring of the military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint/theatre commands, and promoting the use of indigenous equipment.
  
  
• The defence ministry has shifted administrative and revenue procurement matters of the armed services to the DMA, but any important matter related to defence policy will be dealt by the defence secretary.