India's long-awaited military theatreisation programme is progressing in the right direction and could begin taking shape within the next two to three years, Chief of the Army Staff Upendra Dwivedi said on Saturday. The Army Chief made the remarks on the sidelines of the 150th Course Passing Out Parade at the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla near Pune.
General Dwivedi said extensive discussions on the proposed integrated theatre command structure have been completed within the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). He added that the committee's comprehensive report has already been submitted to the defence minister and is currently under review by various stakeholders involved in the process.
According to the Army Chief, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force worked closely to ensure that the operational requirements and core interests of all three services were adequately reflected in the proposed framework. He noted that any effort to achieve greater jointness among the services inevitably requires a degree of compromise and coordination.
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General Dwivedi stressed that the interests of all three armed forces had been carefully considered during the consultations. He expressed confidence that the next phase of implementation would be carried forward under the leadership of the CDS, paving the way for the gradual rollout of the new command structure.
The theatreisation plan seeks to integrate the operational capabilities of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force under unified theatre commands. The objective is to improve joint planning, optimise the use of resources and enhance combat effectiveness across land, maritime, air, cyber and space domains.
The proposal represents one of the most significant military reforms undertaken by India in recent decades. If implemented, the integrated theatre command system is expected to strengthen coordination among the armed forces, improve operational efficiency and enable a more unified response to evolving security challenges in the region.
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