New Delhi, Aug 31 - Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor, who took over as the new chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) Monday, said creation of the post of chief of defence staff (CDS) is in the national interest.

He took over as the chairman, COSC from outgoing Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta. The COSC was constituted to coordinate among the three forces till the time a consensus is reached on the creation of a CDS.

'I think the sooner we shift to CDS the better. It is under consideration of the government. It is in the national interest to shift to the system,' Kapoor said after the taking over ceremony.

Kapoor, who was commissioned in the Indian Army in June 1967, took over as the army chief on Sep 30, 2007.