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.
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- 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
29 May 2025
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