The Defence Ministry today issued new guidelines broadening the scope of eligible officers for the post of the Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian armed forces. The new guidelines mean that even a serving Lieutenant General or their equivalent in the navy and air force could become the CDS. This essentially opens the doors for the second-highest active rank officers of the tri-services to possibly supersede their seniors -- the chief of the army, air force, or navy -- to take on the role.