[5] Customarily held by a three-star officer nominated from either of India’s three armed services, the CISC is the second-highest authority responsible for inter-service jointness, subordinate only to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

[6] By function, the CISC is the executive-in-charge of the IDS, and thus, maintains oversight over inter-service coordination on crucial disciplines related to military functioning, specifically, intelligence, doctrine, joint planning, budgetary allocations and training.

[1] In addition, the CISC serves as a non-voting member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee - of which the CDS is its Chairman; thus by definition, the CISC reports to the CDS, who is the final authority on military jointness.

The CISC reports to the Chief of Defence Staff in New Delhi.

He is assisted by the following five Principal Staff Officers (all three-star appointments) who head the various branches within the IDS.