Impractical Idea

India is not yet ready for joint theatre commands

Pravin Sawhney

The clamour for creation of two joint theatre commands – western theatre command for Pakistan and eastern theatre command for China – for better war-fighting has grown loud with senior serving military officers and, importantly, defence analysts (Business Standard, 14 July 2018) having jumped into the fray.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is seen as the villain of the piece with the army and the navy in favour of the new structural reform for optimal war results. The IAF believes that given its limited assets, enormous flexibility inherent in aircraft, and that the military is for defence of the nation and not for out-of-area operations, expensive assets should remain centralised and not distributed to theatre commands. Cognisant of this internal bickering, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has taken a clever position by saying that while she liked the idea of joint theatre commands, she prefers a ‘bottom-up’ rather than a ‘top-down’ approach.

The basic argument of the army and navy is that the Indian military (three services) today have a total of 19 different commands which are neither co-located nor co-purposed. Since speed (in decision-making, allocation of resources and flexible operations) would be the essence in modern war, it is important that there should be only two commanders, one for each joint command theatre, instead of the present 19 which, given their prejudices, domain knowledge and so on, would end up as collective drag on speedy operations. Example is given of the Chinese military which has created theatre commands. Thus, against Chinese single Western theatre commander for India, the Indian military has three army (Northern, Western and Eastern), two air force (Western and Eastern Air Command) and one navy (Eastern Naval Command) commander-in-chiefs facing it.

To put this debate into perspective, the following three imperatives should be considered. One, modern warfare, which is driven by technology, has transformed in two ways. Instead of linear battlefields (either air-land, or air-sea), there are now six battle-fields whose optimisation would determine the war outcome. These are land, air, sea, space, cyber and electronic. Given these disparate battle-fields, the Chinese focus has shifted to non-contact war with limited or no loss of lives to own troops. China would use its stand-off, precision weapons including cruise missile, laser-bombs, armed unmanned aerial vehicles and so on for destruction, rather than fight soldier-to-soldier with the Indian Army. Given this situation, in India, the air force and not the army would lead the land war. This is not acceptable to the army chief, General Bipin Rawat, who recently said that the army should lead the land war. Thus, either the modern war is not understood by the army or there is a dogged attempt to resist drastic down-sizing of its bloated numbers.

Moreover, the desired outcome of military power by major powers (with nuclear weapons) is no longer deterrence or actual war-fighting, if deterrence fails. It is successful military coercion (compellence without fighting). However, if the compelling force is not credible, there are heavy costs to reputation of the coercing state. An example of unsuccessful military coercion is the 2001-2002 Operation Parakram initiated by India against Pakistan, where India withdrew its mobilised army without any gains after 10-months long face-off. On the other hand, the 2017 Doklam crisis between India and China which eventually led to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking peace with President Xi Jinping through the Wuhan understanding is an example of successful military coercion. India took the beating because its army mistook the land battlefield for war (total of different battlefields).

Major spy network dismantled; Ropar man was closely associated with Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa, a key figure in terror-backed espionage ring

In a major breakthrough, the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Mohali has unearthed a significant espionage and terror-backed network involving Jasbir Singh, a YouTuber from Mahlan village in Rupnagar district.

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, in a post on X, stated that Jasbir, who runs a popular YouTube channel named “Jaan Mahal,” has been found to have deep ties with individuals linked to anti-national activities.

Investigations revealed that Jasbir was closely associated with PIO Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa, a key figure in the terror-backed espionage ring.

Moreover, he maintained regular communication with Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, recently arrested on charges of spying, and Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a Pakistani national who was expelled from the Pakistan High Commission, the DGP said.

He said Jasbir attended the Pakistan National Day event held in Delhi on Danish’s invitation, where he reportedly met Pakistani Army officials and various vloggers connected to intelligence activities.

It was further discovered that Singh had travelled to Pakistan three times — in 2020, 2021, and most recently in 2024. His electronic devices, seized during the probe, contained numerous Pakistan-based contacts, all now undergoing detailed forensic scrutiny, the DGP said.

Following Malhotra’s arrest, Jasbir reportedly attempted to erase his communication records with the network members to avoid detection. An FIR has been registered against him at State Special Operations Cell, Mohali.

Investigations are ongoing to dismantle the broader espionage-terror network and identify all collaborators involved in these anti-national activities, Yadav added.

The advisory comes amid ongoing operations such as Operation Sindoor, where senior officers have gained public attention for their leadership roles

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday issued an advisory urging media personnel to refrain from intruding into the private lives of armed forces personnel and their families, and to avoid approaching them for news stories.

The advisory comes amid ongoing operations such as Operation Sindoor, where senior officers have gained public attention for their leadership roles. The ministry noted that this focus has, in some cases, extended beyond professional coverage to the personal lives of officers and their families.

“Media personnel have approached residences, contacted family members and pursued personal coverage unrelated to official duties. Such actions are deeply inappropriate and potentially compromise the dignity, privacy and safety of officers and their families,” the MoD said.

The ministry emphasised that while officers may serve in prominent public roles, their families remain private citizens and should be treated with respect and sensitivity.

Media outlets have been advised to avoid visiting or contacting the private residences or families of serving or retired armed forces personnel, unless expressly invited or cleared through official channels. Additionally, the publication or broadcast of personal details — such as addresses, family photographs, or other non-operational information — should be avoided.

The MoD encouraged the media to focus on the professional and operational aspects of the armed forces’ activities and leadership, and to avoid speculative or intrusive reporting.

The ministry acknowledged the important role the media plays in informing the public and fostering awareness about national security, and expressed appreciation for continued coverage of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.

The contributions include a dedicated ambulance, among other things

Tribune Web Desk

Quazigund Expressway Pvt Ltd and Athaang Jammu Udhampur Highway Pvt Ltd have jointly extended substantial infrastructure support to Sainik School Nagrota under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework.

The contributions include a dedicated ambulance, among other things. The ceremonial handing-over event took place yesterday on the school campus. The assets were formally presented by Vamshidhar M, vice president, Athaang, and his team of officials to school principal Captain (IN) Shibu Devasia. The event was witnessed by cadets, staff and senior officials from both organisations.

In a press release, Capt (IN) Shibu Devasia said, “This generous support reflects the true spirit of nation-building. These assets will directly contribute to nurturing disciplined, responsible and future-ready leaders of the armed forces.”

Retired soldiers will be roped in for training the pupils, he said

Basic military training will be imparted to students from Class 1 in Maharashtra in a move to instill a sense of patriotism, discipline and promote the habit of regular physical exercise, state School Education Minister Dada Bhuse has said.

Retired soldiers will be roped in for training the pupils, he said.

“A decision has been taken to give basic level military training to students from Class 1. This will help inculcate love for the country, encourage habits like doing physical exercise regularly and discipline that will benefit the students,” Bhuse said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has responded positively to the proposal, he noted.

To implement the proposal, help of 2.5 lakh ex-servicemen will be taken along with sports teachers, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Scouts and Guides, the Shiv Sena minister added.

Special age relaxation of up to 3 years will also be provided to Agniveers applying for the posts

he Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to provide 20 per cent reservation for Agniveers in direct recruitment to several positions in the state police force.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the move aims to provide meaningful post-service opportunities to Agniveers, who have completed their four-year term under the Agnipath scheme.

“This is a significant decision. The reservation will be applicable across categories — general, SC, ST, and OBC. If an Agniveer belongs to the SC category, the reservation will apply within SC; if OBC, then within OBC,” he explained.

He added that special age relaxation of up to three years will also be provided to Agniveers applying for these posts.

There are four categories–constable police, constable PAC, mounted police and fireman –in which recruitment will be made.

The first batch of recruits under this system will come out in 2026, he said.

“Several states and central forces have already taken initiative to provide reservation to Agniveers. States like Haryana and Odisha have offered 10 per cent reservation to former Agniveers. The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has now approved 20 per cent horizontal reservation, which is a bold and generous initiative,” Khanna said.

“This not only recognises their service but ensures they can continue contributing to the nation’s security infrastructure after their military stint,” he said.

The Centre introduced the Agnipath scheme in 2022 for short-term induction of personnel in the Army, Navy and Air Force with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, in an address at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, rejects criticism against him for acknowledging that India lost an unspecified number of combat jets during the initial phase of Operation Sindoor

Professional militaries are not affected by temporary losses as the overall outcomes are much more important than such setbacks, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday.

The top military commander said that Pakistan has been following an approach of bleeding India by thousand cuts but New Delhi drew a completely new redline against cross-border terrorism by conducting the Operation Sindoor.

In an address at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, Gen Chauhan appeared to reject criticism against him for acknowledging that India lost an unspecified number of combat jets during the initial phase of the operation.

“When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important as results and how you act are important,” he said.

It would be not very correct to talk about losses and numbers, he said, responding to a question.

In war, even if there are setbacks, you need to maintain your morale, he said adding losses are not important but outcomes are.

The Chief of Defence Staff highlighted various elements of war including politics and violence and noted: In Operation Sindoor too, war and politics were happening as a parallel kind of phenomenon.

Gen Chauhan also made a mention about Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir “spewing venom” against India and Hindus just weeks before the Pahalgam attack to emphasise that Islamabad’s approach has been to “bleed India by thousand cuts”.

What happened in Pahalgam was profound cruelty towards victims, he said.

The thinking behind Operation Sindoor was that state-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan has to stop and that country should not be able to hold India hostage to terrorism.

India is not going to live under the shadow of terror and nuclear blackmail, Gen Chauhan said.

On India’s military offensives, he said Indian armed forces carried out very deliberate precision strikes on Pakistani targets and some of them were as narrow as two metres.

Explaining the process of the understanding on cessation of hostilities, he said Pakistan planned to carry out its counter operations against India for 48 hours but it folded up in about eight hours.

And they wanted to talk, he said, highlighting the impact of Indian strikes.

Pakistan’s decision to talk to India on May 10 stemmed from realisation that it will suffer more if its operation continues, Gen Chauhan said.

Around 1 am on May 10, Pakistan aimed to get India to its knees in 48 hours as multiple attacks were launched, he said.

Pakistan’s operation that they thought would continue for 48 hours folded up in about eight hours and they wanted to talk, he added.

When the request for talks and de-escalation came from Pakistan, we did accept it, Gen Chauhan said.

On India’s overall approach, he said, “We have raised the bar; we have connected terror to water, we have drawn a new line of military operation against terror.”

In the first detailed account of India’s clashes with Pakistan, Gen Chauhan said India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack was to draw “limits of tolerance” to cross-border terrorism and not tolerating Islamabad’s nuclear blackmaiPTI

Pakistan launched multiple attacks on early May 10 aiming to bring India to its knees in 48 hours, but it had to fold up the offensives in eight hours and reach out to New Delhi for talks seeking an end to the hostilities, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday.

In the first detailed account of India’s clashes with Pakistan, Gen Chauhan said India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack was to draw “limits of tolerance” to cross-border terrorism and not tolerating Islamabad’s nuclear blackmail.

In an address at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, the top military commander appeared to reject criticism against him for acknowledging three days ago that India lost an unspecified number of combat jets during the initial phase of Operation Sindoor.

Professional militaries are not affected by temporary losses as overall outcomes are much more important than such setbacks, he said and used cricketing metaphor to draw a clear distinction between initial setbacks and the overall outcome.

Suppose you go into a cricket test match and you win by an innings, then there is no question of wickets and balls etc, he said.

Gen Chauhan, who played a key role in planning India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack as well as subsequent Pakistani offensives, threw light on various aspects of the conflict.

“On May 10, about 1 am, their (Pakistan) aim was to get India to its knees in 48 hours. Multiple attacks were launched and in some manner, they have escalated this conflict. We had actually hit only terrorist targets,” he said.

The Chief of Defence Staff said the rationale behind Pakistan’s decision could be based on two aspects.

“One — they must have assumed that if they continue, they are likely to lose much more. And second — since they had stuck us at multiple fronts, they still did not have the benefit of understanding what they had struck,” he said.

When the request for talks and de-escalation came from Pakistan, we did accept it, he said.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s declaration in a court runs counter to India’s firm denial of US inlvovment in Indo-Pak ceasefire

Vivek Katju

THE controversy over US President Donald Trump’s claim that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan refuses to die down. Though India has refuted his claim, Trump is insistent that he played the peacemaker. On May 30, he said, “I think the deal I’m most proud of is the fact that we’re dealing with India, we’re dealing with Pakistan and we were able to stop potentially a nuclear war through trade as opposed through bullets”.

This comment encapsulates his three assertions on the ceasefire that was announced on May 10. One, he was responsible for it; two, the hostilities could have potentially led to a nuclear conflict; and three, he threatened to snap trade ties with both countries, thus prompting them to agree to a ceasefire.

India has stated that the cessation of hostilities happened after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called up his Indian counterpart on May 10. During this conversation, the two DGMOs agreed that all military action would cease from 5 pm that day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clarified that Operation Sindoor has only been paused. India has also emphasised that the conflict remained in the conventional domain and there was no nuclear signalling by Pakistan.

Significantly, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on May 13, “From the time Operation Sindoor commenced on May 7, till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on May 10, there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions”.

After his attention was drawn on May 29 to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s declaration in a US court that Trump cited trade to bring about a ceasefire, the spokesperson said, “I hope you have seen the court order as well”. Thereafter, Jaiswal went on to repeat his May 13 comment. It was premature for him to mention the court order, for a superior court stayed it on May 29 itself. The spokesperson should not have relied on a lower court’s decision to try to validate his country’s position.

Pakistan has stated that the ceasefire was the result of intervention of several countries. During the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last week, Pakistan’s Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, named six in this context: the US, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and China. This would hardly please Trump, who is claiming entire credit for the best ‘deal’ he has made.

Islamabad has not said that this conflict was in danger of going beyond the conventional stage, but it has now reaffirmed its general concern that Indian kinetic action could lead to a nuclear exchange if foreign powers don’t get enough time to intervene. Pakistan has also not made any comment on Trump’s claim of threatening to stop trade ties if the hostilities did not cease. Pakistan-US trade talks are set to begin.

Why has the Trump administration shown such disregard for Indian sensitivities on the trade issue that it has included it in an affidavit submitted by Lutnick in a US court on May 23? The case pertains to a legal challenge to Trump’s tariff policies, which he is justifying under his country’s International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Technically, Lutnick has given a declaration, but as he states that he has done so “under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct”, it is nothing but an affidavit. My diplomatic experience suggests that it is unprecedented for a country to convert a political statement of the kind Trump made on invoking trade to bring about a ceasefire into a legal document. Its implication is that the US cannot resile from the President’s claim on the issue. Trump talks loosely and often contradicts his own statements. But a legal document is not to be trifled with. This puts the US at odds with the Indian stand on this matter at a time when both countries are negotiating a trade deal.

Considering the India-US differences on Trump’s trade threat, it is worthwhile to give details of Lutnick’s averment in his affidavit. Asserting that any curtailment of the President’s powers under the IEEPA would adversely impact US security interests and foreign policy, Lutnick said: “A ruling that narrows IEEPA would have ripple effects across every domain in which economic instruments are used for strategic effect. For example, India and Pakistan — two nuclear-armed powers which engaged in combat operations just 13 days ago — reached a tenuous ceasefire on May 10.”

He added: “The ceasefire was only achieved after President Trump interceded and offered both nations trading access with the US to avert a full-scale war. An adverse ruling that constrains presidential power in this case could lead India and Pakistan to question the validity of President Trump’s offer threatening the security of an entire region and the lives of millions”.

In response to another question on May 29 on Lutnick’s declaration, the MEA spokesperson bristled and said, “I have stated my position, and when I state my position, I do it as spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India with flags on both sides. That has an implication, it means a lot”.

Of course, it means a lot if the Modi government is formally asserting that the US Commerce Secretary made a false declaration in a US court “under penalty of perjury”. It will mean much more if the matter gains traction in America.

As for India, it cannot help feeling let down by Trump’s actions and statements since Operation Sindoor. Perhaps the popular song from the 1964 classic Sangam best sums up Delhi’s current mood, “Dost dost na raha…” And the days of ‘Howdy Modi’ and ‘Namaste Trump’ are now a distant memory.

Vivek Katju is former Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

MC approves Pet and Community Dogs Bylaws-2025

Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service

Owners will be liable to pay compensation in case of dog bite or any damage to property caused by their pets. For better pet management and public safety, the Municipal Corporation (MC) House today approved the final draft of the “Pet and Community Dogs Bylaws 2025”.

Laying down stringent responsibilities for the dog owners, the bylaws also restrict access of dogs to several high-traffic and public spaces in the city, including Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, Leisure Valley, Rose Garden, Fragrance Garden, Shantikunj, Terrace Garden, Mini Rose Garden, Shivalik Garden and any green belt of 20 acres or more.

Pet walking will be allowed in regular parks, with a strict requirement for owners to carry poop bags. Registration of pet dogs will also be mandatory and the number of dogs a house can have has also been restricted. A family in a five-marla house can keep only one pet dog. However, people living on first or second floors can also have one dog each. Similarly, houses measuring from six marla to 12 marla can keep two pets. A family living in a kanal house can have two dogs and one stray dog. The owners of two-kanal houses can have two pets and an equal number of stray dogs.

Under the new rules, all dogs must be leashed in public spaces, with ferocious breeds also required to wear muzzles. When walking aggressive dogs, the owners must carry a stick as an additional precaution. Failure to control a dog’s behaviour, including acts of aggression or damage, can lead to authorities seizing the pet and imposing penalties on the owner.

The bylaws prohibit the disposal of deceased pets in public bins or municipal areas, mandating cremation at authorised facilities or respectful private burials instead. The regulations maintain the existing ban on seven aggressive dog breeds, as per the 2023 Animal Birth Control Rules, and ban commercial dog breeding or trading within the city.

Additionally, the draft emphasises strict control over pet defecation in public, residential and common areas. Owners must clean up the space or ensure their pets relieve themselves in isolated locations.

The final draft was formulated through consultations involving the Joint Commissioner-I of MC, the Medical Officer of Health (who also serves as Secretary of the SPCA), and other key stakeholders. The comprehensive policy is aimed at striking a balance between animal welfare and public safety, ensuring responsible pet ownership in Chandigarh.

The bylaws now await approval from the Chandigarh Administration before they are formally implemented.