The Indian Armed Forces have been finetuning the final draft for the creation of integrated theatre commands.
The ambitious defence reform is aimed at integrating the three defence services — the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force (IAF) — to operate jointly in specific adversary-based theatres with defined military goals during a limited conflict or war.
The government had set the ball rolling on the reform in 2019 by creating the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and setting up the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to oversee the transition. In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha election, the BJP promised to “further establish the military theatre commands for more efficient operations”.
Over the last five years, multiple drafts have been prepared to zero in on the best possible model for India’s theatre commands. The government is yet to give its final approval on the implementation of the plan.
Depending on the outcome of the elections, further discussions on fine-tuning the existing plan to iron out possible issues are expected to take place in the coming months. Other initiatives to integrate the services at the lower levels have, meanwhile, been implemented.
Where India and the world stand on theatre commands.
Services working together
The three defence services currently operate individually under their individual operational commands.
Theaterisation would entail putting specific units of personnel from all the three services under a single theatre commander so that they fight jointly as a single unit in a war, or conflict, rationalising the manpower and resources of individual services in the process.
Each of the three services has its own culture and ethos. With the creation of the theatre commands, their personnel, assets, infrastructure, and logistics would be integrated, so they can operate cohesively to attain defined military goals in specific theatres covering laid-down operational areas.
The Armed Forces have already been taking steps to bring in greater integration among the three services. There are plans to make Mumbai the first tri-service common defence station, and to set up additional joint logistics nodes across the country to boost integration in logistics needs, and to streamline supply chains and inter-service postings of officers.
Commands & headquarters
The Indian Express had reported in January 2023 that the latest draft with the military envisions three adversary-based theatre commands — a western theatre command facing Pakistan, a northern theatre command facing China, and a maritime theatre command for threats emanating from the Indian Ocean Region.
There are plans to set up the western theatre command in Jaipur, and the northern theatre command in Lucknow. The maritime theatre command could be headquartered in Coimbatore, even though Karwar and Thiruvananthapuram have also been under consideration.
Earlier drafts drawn up in the past have undergone several changes based on inter-services discussions within the military.
There were some plans to have an Air Defence Command, other theatre commands in the eastern, northern, and western commands alongside a Joint Logistics Command, a Space Command, and a training command.
However, a lack of consensus among the three services over the shape, structure, and number of theatre commands resulted in the plans being changed multiple times over the past few years before the current plan was arrived at.
Rationalisation process
How will the creation of theatre commands rationalise the existing service commands?
Currently, the Army and the IAF have seven commands each, while the Navy has three. In addition, there are two tri-service commands — the Andaman and Nicobar Command, and the Strategic Forces Command (SFC). There is also the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS).
Post the creation of the theatre commands, three command headquarters of the services are likely to be transformed into theatre command headquarters.
The existing Andaman and Nicobar Command may be subsumed into one of the theatre commands (in the maritime theatre command, as per current plans), and the HQIDS will likely operate under the CDS.
The SFC will continue to operate independently, as per the plan.
Command leadership
The three theatre commands will be headed by three theatre commanders who would likely be of the rank of General or equivalent.
According to current plans, the theatre commanders will report to a National Defence Committee, which is likely to be headed by the Defence Minister.
Additionally, there are plans to appoint a Vice CDS and a Deputy CDS.
The Vice CDS is likely to look after strategic planning, capability development, and procurement-related matters, and will likely be an officer of the rank of General or equivalent.
The Deputy CDS will be responsible for operations, intelligence, and coordination of the allocation of assets among theatres. The Deputy CDS is likely to be a Lieutenant General or equivalent.
The three service Chiefs would be responsible for raising, training, and sustaining the individual services. It is not known whether they would continue to retain some operational roles. The three theatre commanders would be responsible for operations.
However, none of these plans have got the final nod from the government yet.
The reform ball was set rolling in 2019 when the post of Chief of Defence Staff was created. The late Gen Bipin Rawat was appointed India’s first CDS. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh) 
Where India and the world stand on theatre commands.
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