In News:

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, joint theatre commands of tri-services would be set up to enhance coordination among armed forces.
• He was speaking during a programme organised by the Jammu Kashmir People's Forum to pay tributes to the martyrs of the Indian Armed Forces.

What’s in Today’s Article:

• Theaterisation of Armed Forces
• News Summary

Theaterisation of Armed Forces

• Theaterisation is a concept which seeks to integrate the capabilities of the three services - army, air force and navy – in order to optimally utilise their resources for wars and operations.
  • In other words, a theatre command/unit will be created by integrating elements/assets from all the three services
  • All of them will work as a single entity looking after security challenges in a specified geographical territory under an operational commander.
• It will create a military structure in which specific theatre commands/units will be placed under the Theatre Commander.
• The Theatre Commander will be a three-star general, drawn from any of the three services, depending on the function assigned.

Theaterisation model under consideration

• The plan under consideration talks about setting up of six theatre commands. These are:
  • Air Defence Theatre Command
    • It will control air defence resources of all three services. It will be tasked with protecting military assets from airborne enemies.
    • It will be headed by a top three-star Indian Air Force officer based in Prayagraj.
  • Maritime Theatre Command –
    • This will be responsible for securing India from seaborne threats.
    • Headed by a top three-star Indian Navy officer and will be based in Karwar, Karnataka.
  • Northern Command (Comprising Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh)
  • Western Command
  • Eastern Command
  • Logistics command - to avoid duplication of efforts and resources.
• The first phase involves the creation of Air Defence Command and Maritime Theatre Command.

How will the role of service chiefs change after Theaterisation?

• The operational control of theatre commands will eventually come under the CDS.
• This would leave the Service chiefs with no direct control over their assets operationally.
• The service chiefs will be responsible for raising, training and sustaining their forces.
• Also, as each chief will be a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), and an expert of his/her domain, his or her inputs will be necessary for all operational decisions.

Present Model in India

• At present, India has 17 single service commands and only two tri-service commands.
• The 17 single service commands are divided as:
  • Army – 7 commands; Airforce – 7 commands; Navy – 3 commands
• The two tri-service commands are: Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), and The Strategic Force Command (handles the nuclear weapons).
• Creating Theatres would involve merging existing commands.
  • After restructuring, the ANC command will come under the proposed Maritime Theatre Command and SFC will be under National Security Council.

Challenges

• Apprehensions of Air force
  • Air force has reservations regarding the asset division. The organization fears that it will lose control over its assets and operations.
  • IAF has also raised apprehension regarding the nomenclature of commands, the leadership of theatre commands and dilution of powers of chiefs.
• Apprehensions raised by MHA
  • The MHA is worried about the operational command of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
    • It fears that the control of CAPF would go the Ministry of Defence

Current Status

• India’s biggest military transformation exercise to integrate all the forces into theatres is facing a delay.
• The differences between the three forces and the death of Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in December 2021 have prolonged the theaterisation exercise.
  • A committee headed by CDS was formed in June 2021 to sort out the differences over some key issues.
  • The final presentation was due in May, had things gone as per the plan.
  • But with a new CDS yet to be appointed following Gen Rawat’s death, it is going to take more time.
• However, the recent speech of Defence Minister at J&K gives a signal that govt is likely to launch the theatre commands soon.

News Summary

• Defence minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre had decided to set up joint theatre commands of the tri-services to enhance coordination among the armed forces.

Key Highlights of the speech

• On joint theatre commands of the tri-services
  • Keeping in view of joint operations as seen in Operation Vijay in Kargil, Indian govt decided to set up joint theatre commands in the country.
  • This move will enhance coordination among the armed forces.
• India as a defence equipment exporter
  • Today, India is among the top 25 nations in defence exports.
  • India has started defence exports worth Rs 13,000 crore and it has fixed a target to increase it to Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 crore by 2025-26.