MHOW, MADHYA PRADESH: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan stated on Wednesday that the “dissonance” among the military services regarding the planned theaterisation commands will be resolved with “openness” and in the nation’s best interest. His comments came at the conclusion of the two-day Ran Samwad conclave, where divergent public views from the Air Force and Navy chiefs had brought the long-stalled defense reform back into the spotlight.
Divergent Views from Service Chiefs
The debate was highlighted by the contrasting positions of the two service chiefs. On Tuesday, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, cautioned against rushing the rollout of theater commands, stressing that the armed forces should not operate under pressure. He proposed an alternative model focused on a joint planning and coordination center in Delhi to ensure synergy, arguing that disrupting the current structure might be “counter-productive” as air defense and offensive air operations are deeply intertwined.
In contrast, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, stated on Wednesday that the Navy is fully committed to the theaterisation drive. He affirmed that his force is ready to synergize its command and control, communications, and combat capabilities with the Army and the Air Force, calling theaterisation the “ultimate goal” for integrated operations.
CDS Promises Resolution and Jointness
Addressing the clear disagreements, Gen. Chauhan acknowledged the differences but emphasized that they are a healthy sign of open communication within the military. “As a CDS, I actually set out to promote jointness among the three services. And today, I can say with some kind of pleasure and confidence that we can speak about our differences in a very conducive environment, and with openness to different views without temperatures being risen,” he said.
The CDS reiterated his commitment to finding a solution that best serves the nation’s interests. He also noted that India is “slightly late” in implementing such a structural reform, which should have been attempted a decade ago, and stressed the urgency of closing that gap faster.
The government’s theaterisation plan, announced in 2019, aims to integrate the individual commands of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a few cohesive tri-services commands. Each of these new commands would have units from all three services, working as a single entity to address security challenges in a specified geographical area. This model seeks to optimize resource utilization and enhance combat readiness for modern warfare. Currently, the three services operate under 17 separate commands, a system critics argue can lead to a lack of coordination and inefficient resource allocation.