Consensus eludes plan to integrate theatre commands

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat. File photo

Halfway into the three-year time span granted to implement the biggest military reform in independent India, it is clear that the stakeholders are far from reaching a consensus on the creation of integrated theatre commands. In early 2020, soon after taking over as the first Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat had stated that the Indian armed forces would complete the theaterisation process — integration of the capabilities of the Army, Air Force and Navy — by January 2021. But the process is not moving smoothly, as is clear from the protracted deliberations and comments by the parties involved. On Friday, Gen Rawat said: ‘Air Force is required to provide support to the ground forces… Do not forget that Air Force continues to remain a supporting arm to the armed forces…’ Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, speaking at the same seminar, said: ‘It is not a supporting role alone. The airpower has a huge role to play. In any of the integrated battle areas, it’s not an issue of support alone.’

The Indian military has 17 single-service commands across the country — the Army and Air Force have seven each, and the Navy has three commands. The Andaman and Nicobar command, based in Port Blair, is the sole tri-service command. The theaterisation model being considered involves setting up of at least six new integrated commands, after the merger of the existing commands. However, sharp differences have emerged — the Army and Navy are in favour of the theaterisation model but the Air Force has concerns over the division of its air assets and the nomenclature and leadership of the commands. There are concerns also about the reduction of the powers of the Chiefs of Staff.

Even as the deliberations continue, it is evident that concerns over one’s turf are hampering progress. The Air Force’s anxieties would not have been soothed by Gen Rawat terming it a ‘supporting arm’, which seems ill-advised because air power is the primary tool to achieve tactical gains in warfare. The existence of inter-services competition can’t be denied; due to this reason, the massive project of theaterisation should not have been left only to the three services — a more holistic approach, with involvement of Parliament and relevant ministries, was needed. What we are witnessing is a public clash of ideas, which must be avoided at all costs.