Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Act, 2023

29 May 2025

Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Act, 2023

Recently the government notified rules under the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Act, 2023, making the Act fully operational.

Rules under Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Act

  • Empowering Commanders: Commanders-in-Chief and Officers-in-Command of ISOs now have full administrative and disciplinary control over Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel under their command.
  • Legal and Operational Framework: The subordinate rules framed under Section 11 establish a comprehensive legal mechanism to implement the Act’s provisions across inter-service formations.
  • Expedited Process: The Act allows for quicker disposal of disciplinary cases and prevents duplication of proceedings across services.
  • Service-Specific Conditions Intact: The Act ensures command integration without altering unique service conditions of individual military branches.

Implication of the Act on Indian Military Structure

  • Operational Synergy :The rules bolster joint functioning in existing and future inter-service formations by removing administrative silos.
  • Strengthening Theatre Command: Empowers future Theatre Command chiefs with unified control, supporting integrated war-fighting capability.
  • Cost-Effective: Promotes resource optimization and reduction in duplication through unified administrative control.

What are Joint Theatre Commands?

  • Theatre Commands are joint military structures where forces from the Army, Navy, and Air Force operate under a single commander for a specific geographical or operational domain.

What are Inter-Service Organisations?

  • Inter-Service Organisations (ISOs) are military structures that include personnel from at least two of the three armed forces i.e. the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
    • These organisations are created to ensure jointness, synergy, and integrated operations among the services, especially in logistics, training, and support roles.
    • For Example, Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is  India’s first tri-service command.
  • Legal Basis: As per the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023, the central government may constitute such bodies.
    • These ISOs are placed under the command of an Officer-in-Command, who has disciplinary and administrative powers over members from all three services.
  • India’s Target and Vision: To enhance theaterisation of commands creating integrated theatre commands for better operational readiness.
    • Promote inter-operability, cost-efficiency, and joint war-fighting capabilities.
    • Fulfill the vision of ‘One Nation, One Military Approach’ and make Indian armed forces more agile and future-ready.

  • Examples and Models: United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and China’s Theatre Commands are global examples of integrated military command structures.
  • Significance: Enables synchronized military responses, enhances interoperability, and reduces redundancy in command and logistics.

Military Integration Reforms in India

  • Creation of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): Established in 2019 to enhance jointness in operations, training, logistics, and communication across services.
  • Formation of Inter-Service Organisations (ISOs): Set up to act as integrated entities managing multi-service responsibilities and now legally empowered via the 2023 Act.
  • Planned Theatre Commands: Proposed Land-based Western & Eastern Theatre Commands and Maritime Theatre Command will centralize command for joint war-fighting.

These reforms align with India’s aim of creating a modern, agile, and integrated military force ready for 21st-century warfare

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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
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Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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