[3][4] The IDAS officers form the management cadre of the Defence Accounts Department(DAD).

[5][ Presently, it is mandated to provide financial advice, payments, accounts and internal audit to the three Defence Services(Army, Navy, Air Force), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ordnance Factories, Indian Coast Guard and other inter-services organisations.

The concurrence of concerned financial advisors from the IDAS cadre at various echelons is needed before any expenditure is undertaken by these organisations under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence.

It also furnishes the Heads of the Branches of the Armed Forces Headquarters and Heads of Civilian Deptts./Organisations with all information necessary to enable them to discharge their financial responsibilities in respect of the grants allotted to them and advises them in regard to the preparation of proposals and the disposal of financial business generally.

First, a foundation training along with the All India Services at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (Mussoorie) for four months is imparted.

After this, on passing the Departmental Examination, the probationers are confirmed into the Junior Time Scale grade.

An important aspect of IDAS is their fast pace of promotions, that is one of the fastest among other equivalent -Group-'A' Civil Services.