The Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) is a Central Group ‘A’ Civil Service of the Republic of India that was created to offer financial advice, payment, accounting, and audit services to the Indian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard) and other affiliated organisations like ordnance factories, military engineer services, border roads organisation, and defence research and development organisation.
Currently, there are two ways to become an IDAS employee: (i) through the annual Civil Services Examination that the UPSC conducts, and (ii) by the promotion of Senior Accounts Officers (Gp “B” to IDAS).
Under the Indian government’s Ministry of Defence, IDAS officials are Group-A gazetted civilian officers. Ministry of Defence is the cadre controlling authority for IDAS officers. The Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) oversees both the Defense Accounts Department and the Indian Defense Accounts Service.