New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS): The Ministry of Defence celebrated the 20th Raising Day of Integrated Defence Staff on Thursday. On the occasion, the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat extended his warm felicitations to all members of the tri-services fraternity.

Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, popularly known as HQ-IDS, was raised on October 1, 2001.

Tasked to promote jointness among the Armed Forces and ensure better coordination with Ministry of Defence and other Departments and Ministries, HQ-IDS has over the last 19 years, synergised the efforts of the armed forces in promoting national endeavours in key fields such as security, modernisation, jointness and military diplomacy, to name a few.

The creation of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and institution of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in the past year are major milestones that have provided the much needed impetus to the transformation of the Armed Forces and their integration in the higher defence organisation of the nation.

HQ-IDS remains at the forefront of multiple initiatives aimed at furthering the integration and jointness among the services and thus living upto its motto "Victory Through Jointness".