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A Corporal with the Indian Air Force (IAF) was dismissed from service for allegedly being in a gay relationship with an Australian citizen and visiting foreign countries with him without permission, but the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has converted the punishment of dismissal into simple discharge so as to enable post-retirement resettlement.

He will, however, not be entitled to any post-retiral or monetary benefits.

The airman, who had joined service in 2014, had sought premature discharge in 2024 on account of family urgencies and personal issues, which he stated to be his involvement in homosexual activities outside the Air Force in his private affairs. He claimed that his choosing of the sexual partner with whom he is involved in a relationship is within the permissible social norms and applicable laws.

After the application of discharge was reviewed, his request for rejected and a court of inquiry was ordered to investigate his activities, which was completed in December 2025. Subsequently a show-cause notice was issued to him and on the basis of his reply, administrative orders for his dismissal were issued in January 2026.

The airman submitted before the AFT that he does not want to challenge the dismissal order, but the court may be kind enough to convert the dismissal into a discharge so that the stigma attached to the dismissal may not come in the way of seeking future vocation. He also declared that he did not reveals any information that could have compromised national security.

The Air Force argued that the applicant had breached military discipline while working in the Indian Air Force as he did not seek permission on certain occasions when he visited foreign countries with his partner and gave incorrect addresses while on leave, and therefore action was taken against him. Besides several trips within India, he and his partner had visited Thailand for three weeks in March 2023 and Sri Lanka for two weeks in October 2023.

The Tribunal’s Bench of Justice Rajendra Menon and Administrative Member Rasika Chaube observed in their order of April 27 that the airman had already disclosed facts about his relationship in his application for discharge. From the material on record, there seemed to be nothing involving national security concern and at best the applicant is said to have visited Thailand and Sri Lanka on two occasions to be with his partner without following the due procedure laid down for the same, the Bench said.

Stating that in normal circumstances, dismissal from service would have been upheld by this Tribunal if the individual had challenged the action of dismissal, the Bench held that the respondents may be right in contending that when a member of the disciplined force breaches the rules, he has to be dismissed but there can be exceptions.

“As an exception to normal rule and in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, we deem it appropriate to direct conversion of the administrative dismissal of the applicant into a case of discharge,” the Bench said.

“However, on such discharge the applicant shall not be entitled to any monetary benefit, pension, no post-retiral benefit, even the status of an ex-service men shall not be available to the applicant,” the Bench ruled.

Stating that his cannot be treated as a precedent in all cases, the Bench said that in view of the peculiar facts and circumstances, this case would be deemed to be that of a simple discharge only for the purpose of it not being a stigma or impediment in seeking any further employment elsewhere.

Grant of NFU: The Govt betrays the Armed Forces along with its own General.
In the Additional Affidavit filed this morning at 10:21 AM, the Govt of India has denied Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) to the Armed Forces. The reason given: “significantly large Financial Implications.” Soldiers Are Expensive, Selfies Are Cheap:
₹6,000 crore/year on govt advertisements is “Jan Sampark”.
₹8,000 crore/year on freebies before every election is “Garib Kalyan”. But NFU for fauj is “significantly large Financial Implication”. A Colonel at 26 years service draws less than a Joint Secretary at 16 years. You gave NFU to every babu in 2008. You say it’s too costly for the man who guards Siachen at -40°C. Shame has no pension, but you gave it to bureaucracy. The Mischief of Dates and Benches: The Affidavit is dated 20 January 2026 but filed today , three months later at 10:21 AM. Why?
Because Hon’ble Justice JK Maheshwari retires end June 2026. Because elections must not be “adversely affected.” You time your betrayal better than you time your bullets. You play Bench-shopping with the Supreme Court and hide behind “financial implications” when it comes to men who never hid behind anything when bullets flew. This is not affidavit. This is Aphsaar-shahi vs. Afsar — and you chose the chair over the uniform. First Disability Pension Tax, Now NFU. Betrayal in Installments:
First you withdrew IT exemption on disability pension. A man loses his leg in Uri, you tax his pension. Now you deny NFU saying “fauj mehngi padti hai”. Fauj sasti tab thi jab Kargil hua tha? When did the nation become too poor for its soldiers, but rich enough for central vista, statues, and 5-trillion-dollar ads? NFU Is Not Charity. It Is Parity. IAS, IPS, IFS get NFU if empanelled but not promoted due to lack of vacancy. They retire as Addl. Secretary without ever holding the post with pay, perks, pension. Army officer fights 30 years, commands troops, faces court martial for one mistake , retires as Colonel because boards are “restricted”. No NFU. No parity. No shame. You say “command is different”. Yes. Command means responsibility for 1000 lives. Babu’s file doesn’t bleed. If file-pushers get NFU for stagnation, why not the man stagnating in Dras? Significantly large Financial Implication” is a lie. Real figure for NFU to Armed Forces: ~₹1,800 crore/year. Your advertisement budget: ₹6,200 crore/year. You chose PR over Paltan. Sad day for the Armed Forces? Sad day for the Republic. Because a nation that finds soldiers costly will soon find surrender cheap. The FIGHT will continue in Court, in Public, in Conscience. We may lose benches. We will not lose honour…

Before taking the Netanyahu’s bait, America failed to analyse that Venezuela was a backyard limited objective, while Iran a regional system – an unlimited objective. The Concept of Limited vs Unlimited Objectives • Keep the objective modest and the means overwhelming. That is the mathematics of victory and not the burden of a political stalemate. • Success demands a pause. Reorganise first, do not rush to the next objective – victory may just convert into vulnerability. • Do not seek grand victories, choose limited objectives and reject those which cannot be realistically achieved.

• Bottom Line: Only limited objectives are achievable; the rest are illusions. Soldiers chase objectives – politicians pursue optics. The most typical illustration of expanding objectives is the mistake which MacArthur made in the Korean War. MacArthur initially fought a limited defensive war to repel North Korea’s invasion. After the Inchon landing succeeded, he shifted toward a maximalist objective: the total unification of Korea and the destruction of the North Korean regime. A shift from “repel aggression” to “unify Korea” to “defeat China” – from limited to unlimited. Afghanistan: a shift from “destroy al-Qaeda and deny safe havens” to “remove Taliban” to “build a democratic state, reform society, create a national army, reshape governance” – a mouthful limited to unlimited. Understanding the Key Domains of Modern Conflict (extracted from the book ‘UNRESTRICTED WARFARE’ in syllabus for DSSC Exam 2026) • Modern conflicts are no longer confined to traditional domains. War can be waged through any means: f inancial, cyber, media, legal, diplomatic, economic, psychological; blurring the line between war and peace, battlefield and non-battlefield, soldier and civilian – in the very first superior technology aerial attack against Iran, around 170 primary school girls were killed.

• All these domains are visible in the West Asia War. o Financial Warfare – Currency attacks, sanctions, market disruption, blockade of sea routes. o Lawfare – Using courts, treaties (NPT), and regulations to constrain or delegitimize an adversary. o Media Warfare – Narrative control, disinformation, perception shaping. o Cyber Warfare – Attacks on networks, grids, data, and communications. o Economic Warfare – Trade pressure, supply‑chain disruption, resource denial. o Psychological Warfare – Fear, confusion, morale erosion. The Future of Conflicts seen Through the Lens of Unrestricted Warfare • Future conflicts will be multidomain, continuous, and systemic – fought across every layer of national power. • AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, and global networks will open – new fronts, new vulnerabilities. • States will compete through economic coercion, information dominance, and technological control. • The battlefield will be everywhere: in markets, minds, and machines – all contested at once. • Victory will hinge on adaptability, creativity, and the seamless integration of every domain. Lessons to be Learnt: Iran, an asymmetric opponent demonstrated the capacity to absorb sustained pressure from a militarily superior adversary for 40 days and continue striking back. The lessons are structural, rooted in resilience, redundancy, and national preparedness.

• Cyber resilience and redundancy: Uninterrupted operation of Iran’s missile and drone control networks demonstrate the strength of a resilient digital infrastructure. Redundancies keep systems alive. • Diversified supply chains: Iran’s ability to function despite sanctions and wartime disruptions highlights the value of multi-source procurement, protected weapons manufacturing, underground stockpiling, and terrain-exploited parallel logistics channels. Nations that rely on single supply lines receive a rude shock when they face calamities, blockades, or war – even one broken artery collapses the entire system. • Stronger financial regulation: Despite years of sanctions, Iran maintained alternate trade and f inancial channels, and even during the conflict imposed a ‘toll’ on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The broader lesson is clear: financial resilience is national-security resilience.

• Counter‑narratives: Iran’s ability to maintain internal cohesion under extensive bombardment and sustain effective leadership despite the loss of multiple commanders reflects a high degree of organisational resilience. Its tight control of social media and rapid counter-narratives further reinforced internal stability. Iran’s internal cohesion under stress highlighted the power of shared national identity – something that many modern democracies find difficult to maintain.

• Whole‑ of ‑ nation security planning: Iran’s response involved multiple layers: Military, Paramilitary, Civil defence, Energy sector, Diplomatic, Information networks. Modern conflict is multi-domain; resilience requires every sector to be mobilized. Strength is not about matching firepower. It is about standing together as one nation.

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, he had won a silver medal for India at the 2025 U18 Asian Athletics Championships in the 5 km race walk, clocking 20:21.51 minutes

An Army jawan has set a new Asian record in the men’s 5 km race walk at the 24^th National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation Competition 2026, being held at Tumkur in Karnataka, making him the first Asian athlete ever to break the 19-minute barrier in this category.

Havildar Nitin Gupta of the Army Sports Institute, Pune, clocked an impressive 18:54 minutes at the event, organised by the Athletics Federation of India, the apex body for running and managing athletics in the country.

“Raising the bar yet again, Hav Nitin Gupta books his place for the U-20 Asian Championship and World Athletics Championships,” the Indian Army said. Bagging the gold medal, he broke his own earlier record in the process.

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, he had won a silver medal for India at the 2025 U18 Asian Athletics Championships in the 5 km race walk, clocking 20:21.51 minutes. He was recruited into the Army as a sportsperson.

Numerous Army sportspersons have made the mark at the international level and setting new precedents. Earlier this month, the Indian Army’s’ first woman canoeist, Havildar Megha Pradeep, clinched India’s first-ever international gold medal in canoeing at the 2026 Canoe Sprint Asian Games Test Event in Japan.

Also in April, Havildar Sawan Barwal, a 28-year-old Army athlete and long-distance runner from Himachal Pradesh broke a 48-year old national record in marathon at the NN Marathon in Rotterdam.

Recently recruited women boxers from the Army also punched their way to the top at the Asian Elite Boxing Championship–2026, in Mongolia in April, clinching two gold medals and a silver medal.

The Army trains specially selected sportspersons at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) which is run in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India under the Army’s Mission Olympics programme.

Several disciplines such as shooting, archery, wrestling, rowing, fencing, and weightlifting have been identified for them. They are trained at the Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune, a premier training establishment, which.

There are indications of US preparations for a final, debilitating strike on Iran.

A de facto ceasefire has been in effect in West Asia in the preceding three weeks. Outwardly, neither the United States nor Iran appears to be interested in the resumption of hostilities which were suspended by President Trump on April 7 and unilaterally extended on April 22. There is, however, no sign as yet of a permanent end to Trump’s war of choice. He has since threatened that if the Iranians do not agree to renewed talks, there would be no further extensions. He has set a deadline of April 26.

The reality is that Trump has another more serious deadline to contend with. The onset of summer triggers the campaign for this year’s upcoming US mid-term Congressional elections. Trump desperately needs a way out from his self-made military disaster, one whose outcome will determine the remainder of his term. This is evident from his outrageous social media rants, simultaneously threatening and pleading for talks. The Iranians can sense this desperation. But then, both sides are highly attuned to managing domestic optics. This is particularly so for Trump, given his abysmal approval ratings and a Republican base apprehensive of a trouncing this November.

Iran’s current hardline rulers see themselves as being in a stronger strategic position. Historically keen masters of carefully assessing an adversary, the Iranians are relishing Trump’s dilemmas and so, have decided to run the clock. This week marks the 60-day period of Trump’s illegal war, waged with neither Congressional nor United Nations approval. Under the US War Powers Act of 1973, a President has to seek Congressional approval for continuation of a war he initiated. Alternately, Trump can seek a 30-day extension by providing adequate justification, a challenging task but doable.

Iran’s ruling security establishment has thus settled into a wait-and-watch mode. It is comforted by reports in the Persian media of a strong “rally around the flag” domestic sentiment. On the other hand, it realises the monumental challenges of Iran’s post-war reconstruction, concealed within which are portents of future social instability. This is, therefore, a critical determinant in its need to levy a revenue collection toll on the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, there is no reliable information regarding Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s whereabouts and health condition. He has not been seen in public and is said to be seriously injured, perhaps with debilitating life-threatening injuries he suffered on the first day of the war. Mojtaba’s injuries have strengthened the dominance of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which today lays down Iran’s tough negotiating conditions.

Against the above background, a flurry of activity is taking place. First is the renewed military build-up in the region. The US has deployed a third carrier strike group (CSG) to the region, but it is not clear if one of the CSGs is in rotation. However, under the cover of the ceasefire, the US is steadily pre-positioning a range of military, naval and air assets, replenishing its ballistic and air defence systems and air-refuelling tankers. While this is seriously weakening the US force posture in other theatres, especially the critical Indo-Pacific, the indications are of US preparations for a final, debilitating strike on Iran. The calculation is that if successful, a big if, this could give Trump a legacy-defining victory and possibly reverse his political difficulties. On the other hand, Iran too is readying itself for just such a probability and replenishing its military stores, including by unblocking tunnels behind which are hidden more ballistic missile batteries.

Then, there is a ‘blockade-on-blockade’ situation, with Iran and the US competing to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have engaged in tit-for-tat seizures of ships, but there are also reports of calibrated transit passages, with over 30 vessels permitted to breach the twin blockades. US forces disabled and seized the ‘Touska’, an Iran-flagged vessel. The ‘Touska’ had sailed from China, apparently with a cargo of dual-use items, including sodium perchlorate, a solid fuel precursor used in ballistic missiles.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi termed the US counter-blockade as “an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire.” Iran’s reciprocal seizure of two container vessels has ensured that shipping in the Hormuz remains unpredictable and dangerous. Iran, however, holds a wild card, ie, Yemen’s Houthis, who can impose a third blockade in the Red Sea, disrupting oil supplies from Saudi Arabia’s western Yanbu port. Cognisant of these geo-economic stresses, France, Germany, Italy and the UK convened a 40-nation “Hormuz Summit” to discuss the way forward on the Strait. India was a participant in the Summit, a largely pedantic and meaningless affair, reflective of Europe’s current irrelevance.

Second, the diplomatic track for a negotiated settlement remains deadlocked. After the collapse of the first round of talks, mediated by Pakistan in Islamabad (April 10-11), there has been no further progress. The readout from the first round was that neither side was willing to compromise on the core nuclear issue.

On balance, Iran remained consistent and stuck to its redlines as outlined in its 10-point proposal, which formed the basis for the Islamabad talks. These include a binding US-Israeli commitment to permanently stop further attacks, unfreeze frozen Iranian financial assets and provide sanctions relief. In turn, Iran would provide commitments on the nuclear file along lines mediated by Oman in Geneva towards February-end. Iran’s redline, however, is that there would be no transfer out of the country of its highly enriched uranium because “Enriched uranium is as sacred to us as Iranian soil and will not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances.” Iran also fended off a maximalist US demand that it suspend uranium enrichment in perpetuity, and if not, for a period of 20 years. The absence of any mention of Iran’s missiles or its proxies is a sign of the Americans desperation for an exit out of Trump’s quagmire.

In an effort to restart the diplomatic route, Pakistan’s Asim Munir was in Tehran mid-April, but was unable to get the Iranians to budge. Within Iran, however, questions have arisen over Munir’s neutrality and his motivations in pressing Iran towards renewed talks. Over this past weekend, however, Aragchi went on a three-nation lobbying effort, traveling to Islamabad with Iran’s counter-proposals. Aragchi thereafter went to Muscat, notably on a Pakistan-registered business jet so as to avoid possible US strikes. Discussions in Oman reportedly pertained to the management of the Strait of Hormuz and convey Iran’s messages to its Gulf neighbours. Aragchi is next slated to visit Moscow.

Taken together — the military build-up and diplomatic logjam — worrying signs point to the possibility of a third round of hostilities. In this context, it should be noted that both India and China have issued fresh travel advisories, via their embassies in Tehran, cautioning their citizens against travel to/or leave Iran immediately.

Finally, hidden behind the multiple diplomatic tracks, searching for a resolution to this imbroglio, a complex geo-strategic and geo-economic landscape is slowly taking shape. There are growing divisions within the Gulf Cooperation Council members. On the one side is a nascent “Gulf Quad”, comprising Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt. Theirs is an unpleasant bargain, but all views coopting a non-nuclear Iran as essential for regional stability. Arrayed against them are the Emiratis who are pressing ahead with an anti-Iran and pro-Israel approach. The Omanis and Qataris have made their peace with the Iranians, while Bahrain and Jordan are hitching themselves to the Emiratis and the Kuwaitis are caught somewhere in between.

Against this background, India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar was in Abu Dhabi and NSA Ajit Doval in Riyadh. Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed paid a call on President Xi in Beijing (April 14). The Saudis also infused a cash bailout for Pakistan after the Emiratis called back an old outstanding loan extended to Pakistan, and a small Pakistani force has since deployed to eastern Saudi Arabia on the borders with Bahrain.

Meanwhile, the economic dimensions of Trump’s war continue to ripple across the global economy. Shortages of jet fuel, fertilisers, helium and other petroleum byproducts are stressing economies across Europe and Asia. Trump again de-sanctioned Russian oil, but let expire a waiver on Iranian oil exports.

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

Immediately after their skirmish in May last year, India and Pakistan sharply increased military spending mid-financial year, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The SIPRI report, Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2025, released today, noted that India rose to fifth place among global defence spenders, up from sixth the previous year. New Delhi increased its military expenditure by 8.9 per cent to $92.1 billion.

“India’s conflict with Pakistan in May 2025—which involved combat aircraft, drones and missiles—pushed up military spending during the year,” the report stated. Revised capital outlays for military aircraft systems were 50 per cent higher than originally budgeted, while operations and personnel costs for the IAF rose by 18 per cent compared with the original allocation.

The Tribune perused the data of the Union Budget. It shows that spending under the revenue head jumped by Rs 38,038 crore, with the revised allocation, post Operation Sindoor, standing at Rs 3,49,770 crore for the fiscal year ending March 2026. On Pakistan, the report said military spending grew by 11 per cent to $11.9 billion in 2025. The increase was largely due to new orders for aircraft and missiles placed with China.

Providing a global overview, the report said military expenditure rose by 2.9 per cent in real terms to $2,887 billion in 2025, marking the 11th consecutive year of growth. Global spending has increased by 41 per cent over the past decade (2016–25). The year-on-year rise in 2025 was significantly smaller than the 9.7 per cent recorded in 2024, representing the lowest annual growth rate since 2021.

The world’s military burden—the share of global GDP devoted to defence—rose from 2.4 per cent in 2024 to 2.5 per cent in 2025. Average military expenditure as a share of government spending stood at 6.9 per cent in 2025, compared with 7.0 per cent in 2024, while global per capita defence spending reached $352.

Despite a decline in US expenditure, global military spending rose in 2025, driven by sharp increases in Europe and continued growth in Asia and Oceania, which more than offset the reduction in US outlays.

Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass to be the new distric

Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Ladakh this week, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday approved the notification for the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory—nearly two years after the Union Home Ministry announced the decision.

Taking to X, the Ladakh administration termed it a “historic day” and said the notification fulfils a long-pending demand and the aspirations of the people of the region.

With the creation of the new districts—Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass—Ladakh will now have seven districts, up from the existing two.

The Lieutenant Governor said the move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed and prosperous Ladakh.

He said the decision would “strengthen grassroots governance, decentralise administration and ensure faster delivery of public services, particularly in remote and far-flung areas”.

“Creation of new districts, apart from bringing governance closer to citizens, will create new avenues for growth, employment and entrepreneurship,” the L-G said.

He added that every citizen of Ladakh would benefit from what he described as a historic decision aimed at building a stronger and more prosperous future.

In 2024, the Union Home Ministry had announced the creation of five new districts in line with the Prime Minister’s development vision, but the formal notification had been pending since then.

The announcement comes ahead of Amit Shah’s two-day visit to Ladakh beginning April 30. The visit coincides with the country’s first exposition of Lord Buddha’s sacred relics, scheduled from May 1 to May 14, adding both spiritual and public significance.

The L-G had on Sunday announced that the next round of talks between Ladakh civil society representatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs will be held on May 22.

These talks will be the first since Saxena assumed office as Lieutenant Governor, replacing Kavinder Gupta. Since taking charge in March, he has initiated outreach efforts, expressed confidence in the dialogue process, and pushed for development and revival of stalled projects.

At 19, Goverdhan Singh Rana youngest Vir Chakra recipient of Indian Army

In 1961, the 1st Dogra Battalion undertook a pivotal peacekeeping role in the newly formed Republic of Congo, then torn by mutiny and civil strife. After intensive training, the battalion sailed aboard the US Naval Ship General Blatchford and reached Kamina Base on April 18.

Tasked with restoring law and order in the rebel-dominated Katanga region, the Dogras launched decisive operations around Kabalo, neutralising armed factions and securing key communication centres. Their professionalism earned widespread recognition with Sepoy Goverdhan Singh of ‘C’ Company being honoured with the Vir Chakra for exceptional bravery during one such mission.

On September 13, 1961, Sepoy Goverdhan Singh Rana was part of C Company of 1st Dogra Battalion during its assault to capture Katanga radio station which was strongly held by the gendarmeries. The No. 2 section of the company to which Goverdhan belonged was ordered to lead the advance. When the section neared the outer periphery of the radio station, it was pinned down by intense automatic fire from the gendarmeries.

Sepoy Goverdhan who was in the lead quickly spotted the two light machine guns that were firing from inside the building. He waited for some time, then crawled forward through the small undergrowth, snapped the parameter fence and reached within 10 yards of the building. He then stood fully exposed and accurately lobbed a hand grenade into the window housing the machine gun, killing its crew.

Taking the rebels by complete surprise and in that confusion, Goverdhan leaped forward at another machine gun, turned away its hot muzzle and then killed its two firers. In the process, his right hand was badly burnt but he kept engaging the rebels till such time the entire Katanga radio station complex was cleared of the gendarmerie.

Incidentally, it was the same action in which another Himachali Dogra Sepoy Amar Singh of ‘B’ Company was also awarded the Vir Chakra for his indomitable courage.

Barely 19, yet a legend

Goverdhan Singh, the proud son of Sher Singh — a ‘Victoria’ medal recipient for bravery shown in World War-II, was born on October 10, 1942 in the serene village of Paleta in Kangra district—fondly known as ‘veer bhoomi’ for its legacy of valour.

His grandfather Jawahir Singh was also decorated with a ‘George’ medal in World War-I. At just 17, he joined the Dogra Infantry Regiment on October 10, 1959. Following his training at the Regimental Centre, Meerut, he was posted as a young Sepoy to 1st Dogra at Dagshai in August 1960, then part of the 99 Infantry Brigade.

Today, the decorated soldier lives with his wife, Kamla Devi, in their native village near Palampur. They are proud parents of three daughters of which two are married and well-settled while the third is teaching in Palampur. Their son Amit Rana, youngest in the family, is an advocate with an outstanding academic record. Amit fondly recalls his father’s unwavering courage, displayed in the most challenging and demanding moments.

Rising through dedication and distinguished service, Sepoy Goverdhan Singh Jamwal, VrC, retired as an Honorary Captain in November 1992. Remarkably, he remains one of the youngest recipients of the Vir Chakra in the Indian Army’s history—barely 19 when he earned the nation’s honour for his exceptional

The proposed structure envisions the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) rotating between the Army, Navy and Air Force over time, it is learnt.

What You Need to Know

India is adopting a defense theaterisation model with a rotational Chief of Defence Staff post and limited operational roles for Service Chiefs. Three-star officers will serve as initial theatre commanders, focusing on institution-building for tri-service headquarters. Appointments will be staggered, prioritizing administrative setup, with consensus now reached on air asset division.

New Delhi: India’s defence establishment is closing in on a theaterisation model that will introduce a rotational system for the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS); assign operational roles, albeit limited, to Service Chiefs; and appoint three-star officers as theatre commanders with a focus on institution-building, ThePrint has learnt. 

Sources in the defence and security establishment also told ThePrint that the office of the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, which will be the principal operational authority with theatre commanders reporting to it, could be held by a single service in the initial years.

The Army is pushing to retain the office, arguing that India’s primary security challenges, Pakistan and China, remain land-centric, and that it is the largest of the three services.

The proposed structure envisions the post of CDS rotating between the Army, Navy and Air Force. While both Chiefs of Defence Staff so far have been from the Army, sources said officials stressed that the rotational principle would guide future appointments, even if not in a strictly sequential manner.

Further, in a significant shift from earlier thinking, the first set of theatre commanders is likely to comprise three-star officers rather than four-star officers. Their immediate mandate will not be operational control but to establish a system of protocols, command chains and organisational structures needed for integrated functioning, sources explained. 

During this phase, existing single-service commands will not formally report to theatre commanders. However, they will keep them looped into all operational and administrative correspondence with their respective chain of command, allowing a gradual transition without disrupting current command and operational responsibilities.

Each theatre headquarters will be tri-service composition. Deputies, whether designated as Deputy Theatre Commanders or Chiefs of Staff, will come from a service different from that of the commander. The final nomenclature is still under discussion, reflecting differences in expected roles and responsibilities, sources said. 

As ThePrint reported on 8 April, the Western theatre to be based in Jaipur and focused on Pakistan will be headed by an IAF officer while the Northern Theatre, based in Lucknow and focused on China, will be headed by an Army officer. The maritime theatre command based out of Thiruvanthapuram will be headed by a Navy officer.

Appointments are expected to be staggered and aligned with routine postings rather than through a disruptive, one-time overhaul.

“There won’t be any operational change once the theatre commands are announced, The focus will be on the administrative part in the first phase. All theatre commanders will have a deputy or Chief of Staff who will be from the other Service. Similarly, the operational hierarchy of each Theatre will also have elements from all Services,” a source said.

Sources added that appointments will be made as and when the current officer gets posted out in normal circumstances. 

The theaterisation proposal had been stuck over how limited air assets would be divided. However, as ThePrint reported on 9 April, consensus has been reached on division of air assets among the three theatres. Air Headquarters will control the strategic air assets namely refuellers, transport aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, besides any electronic intelligence aircraft acquired in future and space assets.

Enough indications are that, unlike what was originally planned, the Service Chiefs will have some kind of operational role, even if limited. The original plan was to make the role purely raise, train and sustain. 

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)

Baldev Singh Bains, 80, and Manny Singh Kang, 52, join the estimated 59,000 runners at the annual marathon sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services

Among the thousands who participated in the 2026 London Marathon were two British Sikh runners who had been training to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Baldev Singh Bains, 80, and Manny Singh Kang, 52, joined the estimated 59,000 runners on Sunday at the annual marathon sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

They were cheered on by over 19,000 people who gathered along the over 42-km route for the long-distance race, which saw Kenyan Sabastian Sawe beat the marathon time barrier to complete the challenge in just under two hours.

“It’s been incredible, truly historic. We’ve got some incredible sports performances, incredible people raising money for charity, and we have the highest number of participants with a disability and the most diversity we’ve ever had,” said Hugh Brasher, London Marathon Event Director.

Bains was inspired to raise funds for a charity in memory of Fauja Singh, the well-known UK-based marathon runner who died aged 114 in a hit-and-run incident in Punjab last July.

The over 7,500 pounds raised through the GoFundMe fundraising online platform will go towards the creation of the Fauja Singh Clubhouse, a multi-use sports club proposed by the Sikhs in the City charity to provide facilities to improve community wellbeing in the London Borough of Redbridge.

“The Creator/Waheguru arranged to meet Bhai Fauja Singh Ji, Marathon Runner, in his 100 plus year age, who encouraged me to start walking around Beal High School, Redbridge, and then joining Parkrun. This is where in his memory the Fauja Singh Clubhouse will be built,” shared Bains.

“Due to his encouragement, guidance and love I started getting good health and happier. My doctor, who had been increasing my medicine regularly, started decreasing them,” he said.

Bains has been guided by the same coach who worked with Fauja Singh to help him with his running and preparing for the London Marathon. A second beneficiary of the octogenarian runner’s fundraising efforts will be the non-profit social enterprise One Humanity, working on carbon emission reduction.

Kang, meanwhile, is a regular runner who had dubbed his 2026 challenge as ‘Manny’s Marathon Madness’ as it included walking to London from his home in Wolverhampton, an estimated 209km distance.

“I walked to London and ran the marathon without any sleep,” Kang announced on social media as he hit the finish line.

He raised over 325,000 pounds via the Just Giving online fundraising platform for Dementia UK, a specialist nurse charity providing care for families affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

“The energy inside us all is the same and using it means we do justice to the human life we have been given. I thank all those that join me to help the causes we support,” he said.

Football fan Kang is popular for his ‘Samosa Saturdays’ campaign, cooking and selling samosas for a small donation every Saturday during a Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, or Wolves, home game.

“Next Samosa Saturday on May 2nd before we play Sunderland,” he announced.

The London Marathon is among the world’s largest annual day-long fundraising events, with TCS as its title sponsor since 2022. Among the thousands who took to the UK capital’s roads on Sunday were more than 700 fundraising finishers for the Charity of the Year, end-of-life care provider Marie Curie.

The event holds the record as the biggest one-day fundraiser, with nearly 90 million pounds raised last year and the 2026 total to be announced in the coming months.