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Monday, February 23, 2026
TopicDepartment of Military Affairs

Topic: Department of Military Affairs

Theatre commands to defence university, why Indian security interests need a political push

Reforms are the children of the government in power. PMO should nudge the defence ministry and hold the defence minister accountable.

3-yr ‘Tour of Duty’ for jawans — govt to roll out new recruitment process, not for officers

Tour of Duty, likely to be implemented on trial basis first, aims to reduce burden of pay rises & pensions. Effort also on to make short service commissions more attractive to officers.

It’s politics over military ops for Modi govt. Delay over new CDS appointment shows why

The rampant assault on State institutions hasn’t left the Indian military untouched. It will be the greatest challenge of 2022, just as it was in 2021.

Defence ministry plans uniform retirement age for army, navy & air force, more years of service

The move is expected to help cut salary, pension bills & address issues of re-employment & staff shortage. India is the world's third-largest defence spender, but much of it is on wages.

Selling defence land seen as only way to raise money for new modernisation fund

Draft cabinet note based on ministry’s comments is undergoing inter-ministerial consultations, but Department of Military Affairs had said selling land alone wouldn’t be enough.

Indian military won’t reform by itself. But Parliament’s diluted role is a bigger concern

In developed nations, the defence committee is the main driver for national security reforms. But the Modi govt in India has completely diluted Parliament's role.

Don’t tinker with Indian military’s way of life to fix your out-of-control fiscal deficit

Some half-baked economist came up with the specious argument to reform military life to save money — and CDS Bipin Rawat-led DMA swallowed the bait hook line and sinker.

Army HQ orders reduced attendance in offices, no face-to-face meetings as Covid cases rise

Army's new instructions, coming into effect from Monday, call for conduct of all meetings via phone calls or video conferences.

Bureaucracy intact in Indian military. DMA only brings ill-advised orders for armed forces

CDS Rawat-led Department of Military Affairs is trying to fix measures for habitat and infrastructure projects of the armed forces. But its measures signal far-reaching reforms.

Three pitfalls of CDS, Dept of Military Affairs and why it should make us sceptical

CDS Rawat must articulate a management structure in the DMA that is internally consistent and logical. Otherwise, the military risks being neither here nor there.

On Camera

Indian judiciary must stop panicking over AI

To assume courts weigh every word committed to paper is to ignore reality. The Indian judiciary has long had a "Control+C" problem.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

India eyes 6th generation FCAS, looks at tying up with France for possible collaboration

Initial talks held on the possibility of India entering the programme that was started in 2017 between France, Germany and Spain to ensure European sovereignty in defence and security.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.