India is actively progressing towards establishing theatre commands to integrate its armed forces for unified operational control, a big reform that was first highlighted by PM Modi in 2019. This initiative, driven by past coordination gaps, involves significant steps like standardising equipment and training.
Back in his 2019 Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted the need for the three arms of the forces — Air Force, Navy and Army — to work together in a seamless manner when the situation called for it, igniting discussions regarding theatre commands.
In the same year, the Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post with the rank of a four-star general, making provisions for the CDS to also serve as the secretary of the newly established Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under the Defence Ministry.
The theatreisation plan seeks to integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force, and their resources, into specific ‘theatre’ commands, for deployment under a single, unified command structure. Each command will be assigned a specific geographical region, combining the resources of the three services for operational roles.
The latest big push towards this end came when crucial rules under the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023, were notified. These provisions empowered commanders of tri-service organisations — and future theatre commands — with full authority over Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, ensuring coordinated action during the recent military clashes with Pakistan.
However, it is not limited to just the recent operation.
The Balakot air strikes of 2019 are often held up as an example of joint resolve. The IAF executed its mission with precision. But the follow-on posture — the mobilisation of Army formations and the deployment of the Navy in the Arabian Sea — was managed in parallel rather than under one unified operational plan. The result was three services moving at the same time, but not as one fist. The adversary may have seen action, but not cohesion.