Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan stressed the significance of jointness and discussed plans for improving integration across different domains during the first-ever Joint Commanders Conference (JCC), which commenced in Lucknow on Wednesday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass will finalize the ‘basic document’ for the proposed theatre commands, which are expected to be set up within a year, on the conference’s final day today.
Addressing the military’s top brass, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) emphasized that jointness and integration were crucial for adapting to the future warfare landscape and conducting effective operations.
The Defence Ministry said, “The conference is focused on shaping the future of India’s military to adapt to the changing operational milieu. “The three service chiefs and other top military officials are attending the conference.
According to the first draft of the ‘basic document’, which involves the most radical military reorganisation in the country since Independence, the Northern theatre command, focused on China, will be headquartered in Lucknow. Similarly, the Western command, focusing on Pakistan, will be based in Jaipur. The maritime theatre command, responsible for operations in the Indian Ocean and India’s coastal territories, will be in Thiruvananthapuram.
With the three-armed forces initiating several measures towards integration, the CDS said it was “a step-by-step process, beginning with Cross Service Co-operation leading to a ‘Joint Culture’ and finally achieving integration of forces for conduct of joint operations”.
The Defense Ministry stated that discussions centred around setting up command-and-control centres with the necessary infrastructure to support decision-making. General Chauhan emphasized the importance of operational readiness to address new challenges, highlighting the crucial need for modernization to remain prepared, relevant, and achieve strategic autonomy.
Establishing theatre commands will spur critical reforms in the Indian armed forces. All theatre commanders will have operational responsibilities, while the Service Headquarters will manage staff roles such as training and acquisition. These theatre commanders will hold equal rank to the military chiefs and receive direct orders from the political leadership.
Prior to the conference, the plan for theatre commands was discussed with the Defence Minister and national security planners such as the NSA. The final document would include all the key changes suggested by them before receiving final approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ravi Shankar
