New Delhi: The Union government has asked the Integrated Defence Staff, a tri-services body, to set-up cyber and aerospace agencies and a special forces division. An officer of the rank of major general will be the head each of the three new verticals. And, the new entities will be “staffed without adding on more manpower.

On October 16, it was reported that the Cabinet Committee on Security had cleared the formation of the three new entities.

All three will be tri-service agencies, which means they will draw from each service and serve under the command of the chairman, chief of staff committee, the second official confirmed.The cyber agency will work closely with the National Cyber Security Coordinator and the Computer Emergency Team and protect Indian networks and systems.

It will have offensive capabilities too. The special forces division will have elements of garud commandos of the Indian Air Force, the marine commandos from the Indian Navy and the Special Forces from Indian Army. They will train together and exchange best practices.

In 2012, the chiefs of staff committee recommended the formation of three separate joint commands — cyber, space and special operations —to deal with new and emerging threats.

The Centre has also been pushing for more synergy and “jointness” to prepare for threats from the “emerging triad” of space, cyberspace and special operations for future combat.