New Delhi: The broad contours of the proposed theaterisation of the Indian military have been finalised with the plan to set up three theatre commands focused on China, Pakistan and the seas, ThePrint has learnt. Along with this, the military will also get a Vice Chief of Defence Staff who will also be a four star officer along with the Theatre Commanders, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Service Chiefs.
Multiple table top exercises are being held regularly with multiple scenarios in play and the responses too. Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the Western theatre focused on Pakistan will be headed by an Air Force officer while the Northern Theatre, focused on China, will be headed by an Army officer. The maritime theatre command will be headed by a Navy officer.
Sources said that these positions are more or less fixed and there is unlikely to be any rotation unlike the earlier plan featured rotation.
The finalisation of the theaterisation’s contours is happening within the military. Once it is completed, the whole process will be reviewed by the defence ministry and the apex leadership of the country. It will then be finalised before it is implemented. It is not clear yet if the current CDS will be able to present a blueprint before his tenure, extended by six months to finish off the process, gets over end of May.
Sources explained that the idea of the Western Theatre to be headed by an Air Force officer is that Operation Sindoor showed that Pakistan can be countered by long-range weapons with the Indian Air Force (IAF) playing a critical role besides any ground operation that may come by.
However, for the northern front with China, the thought process is that it will involve bigger role for ground troops when it comes to defence, and hence the Northern Theatre would be headed by an Army officer.
All theatres will have deputy commanders who will be from another service, the sources said.
ThePrint had first reported in July 2023 that Jaipur, home to the Army’s South Western Command (SWC), will be the headquarters for the theatre command that will look after Pakistan.
The other theatre command to take care of the borders with China will come up in Lucknow, which currently is the headquarters of the Central Command. The Army’s South Western, Western and Southern Commands and elements from the Northern Command will come under the Jaipur-based theatre command, apart from the IAF’s Western and South Western Air Commands and elements from the Central and Southern Commands.
It was not yet clear on how the Air Force assets would be divided. Sources said that there is a possibility of air assets being centrally controlled for seamless operation across the theatres since they provide strategic value in terms of not just strike but also airlift capacity.
Asked if the CDS will have an operational role, the sources explained that the CDS will head the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and everyday operational issues will be taken care by the Vice CDS. The CDS will focus on his role as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs.
Incidentally, the developments come ahead of the second edition of Ran Samvad, Indian military’s marquee event being formulated on the lines of the Shangri La Dialogue. During the first edition in August last year, a dissonance had been evident among the armed forces over theatre commands.
CDS General Anil Chauhan had then welcomed the frank discussion and opinions but said the final decision would be reached in the best interests of the nation.
His comments came after IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh batted for a joint planning and coordination centre in Delhi, involving the service chiefs and CDS, rather than theaterisation. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, on his part, underlined that theaterisation remained the ultimate aim of all ‘jointness’.
In a 17 June 2021 report, ThePrint was the first to state that, contrary to claims regarding implementation, theaterisation will be delayed. The theatre concept, under which India’s military was to be divided into different, independent theatres—as in the US or China—has since then undergone several permutations and combinations.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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