Recently, lingering differences of opinion within the defence services leadership over the structure of theatre commands were in evidence at a tri-service seminar at the Army War College in Dr Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow), Madhya Pradesh.

Differences of Opinion within Defence Leadership

• Caution by IAF Chief: Air Chief Marshal A P Singh warned against rushing theaterisation and proposed setting up a joint planning and coordination centre under the Chiefs of Staff Committee in Delhi to strengthen jointness.
• Commitment by Naval Chief: Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi stated that the Indian Navy is fully committed to integrating its communications, command, and combat systems with the other services for theaterisation.
• Balancing Role of CDS: CDS General Anil Chauhan assured that differences across services would be addressed and reaffirmed his role in pushing theatre command reforms.

Concept of Theaterisation

• Unified Command Structure: Theaterisation aims to integrate all three services into theatre commands that will operate within defined geographical regions under a single commander.
• Current Command Structure: Presently, the Army and Air Force each have seven commands, while the Navy has three, alongside the tri-service Andaman & Nicobar Command and the Strategic Forces Command.
• Institutional Framework: The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, created after the Kargil War, already serves as a foundation for higher defence reforms.

Rationale for Theaterisation

• Changing Nature of Warfare: Future wars are expected to be multi-domain, involving cyber, space, drones, and precision weapons in addition to land, sea, and air operations.
• Need for Joint Planning: A single theatre command structure would allow better integration and coordination of assets during such complex conflicts.
• Global Military Best Practices: Following the example of advanced militaries, India seeks to ensure its forces fight jointly rather than in isolated silos.

Parallel Measures for Jointness

• Cross-Posting of Officers: Officers are being posted across services to build familiarity and strengthen inter-service coordination.
• Creation of Joint Logistics Nodes: Several logistics hubs are now serving all three services to improve efficiency and reduce duplication.
• Joint Procurement and Training: The services have initiated common planning for procurement, training, and staffing to promote synergy.

Evolution of Theaterisation Idea

• Political Announcement in 2019: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff to unify the military’s functioning.
• Formation of DMA: The Union Cabinet created the Department of Military Affairs under the CDS, with the mandate to restructure commands and promote indigenous equipment.
• Mandate of CDS: The CDS was tasked to drive joint procurement, establish joint commands, and enable optimal use of resources.

Developments since 2020

• Initial Proposal of Four Commands: General Bipin Rawat suggested creating four theatre commands, including 
  • Air Defence Command (for national air defence)
  • Maritime Theatre Command (for the Indian Ocean Region)
  • Western Command (for the Pakistan border)
  • Eastern Command (for the China border)
    • This model suggested that these four commanders would have resources from all three services. 
    • The roles of existing service chiefs (Army Chief, Navy Chief, Air Marshal) would be diminished to primarily recruitment, training, and sustaining forces, rather than active combat operation.
    • This model faced strong opposition, particularly from the Air Force.
• Shift to Adversary-Based Commands: General Anil Chauhan later proposed adversary-specific commands — one for Pakistan, one for China, and one for the maritime domain.
• Allocation of Responsibilities: Discussions considered leaving training and sustainment roles with service chiefs, while theatre commanders would control operations.
• Deliberations and Exercises: Multiple studies, tabletop exercises, and planning sessions were conducted to test command structures, headquarters locations, and command responsibilities.

Challenges in Creating Theatre Commands

• Disruption of Established Structures: Theatre commands require dismantling service-specific command structures that have existed for over 70 years.
• Concerns of the Indian Air Force: The Air Force, in particular, has a shortage of fighter jets, possessing only 30-32 squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42. 
  • The Air Force argues that air power is indivisible and should not be divided among different commands. 
    • They fear that allocating air assets to specific theatres would reduce their overall strategic flexibility, as these assets might be needed anywhere in times of conflict.
• Doctrinal Objections: Army and Navy commanders often perceive the Air Force as having a mere “support role” for ground troops. 
  • However, the Indian Air Force’s doctrine asserts that air power plays an independent strategic role, capable of striking deep into enemy territory. 
    • The Air Force fears that theatrisation might lead to the inefficient use of air assets.
• Risk of Added Bureaucracy: Critics argue that theatre commands might create longer decision-making chains instead of shortening them.
• Caution on Imitating Foreign Models: Air Chief Marshal A P Singh emphasised that India must tailor theaterisation to its own needs rather than blindly copying foreign examples like the US model.

Global Examples

• USA: The US military operates on a theatre command model, with commands like INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command) and CENTCOM (Central Command). However, the US possesses vast resources, allowing them to dedicate assets to particular commands, which is not the case for India with its limited resources.
• China: China has also transformed its military into theatre commands, with five commands designed to protect different borders, including a Western Command specific to India. India’s model is considered to be more China-inspired in its approach to theatre commands

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