CDS Asks Forces To Submit Theatre Command Studies By April 2022
In a fresh push towards the creation of theatre commands to fight the next wars in an integrated manner, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under the Defence Ministry has asked the three services to conduct studies on the structures of the new formations and submit their reports by April next year. A high-level meeting chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and three services chiefs along with the officers nominated to conduct the studies was held on November 1, government sources told ANI.
As per the sources, the Indian Army has nominated Central Army commander Lt Gen YK Dimri along with South Western Army commander Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Bhinder to conduct the study for the creation of these commands. Sources said the plan of the DMA is to create four new theatre commands which will not include the most sensitive Ladakh sector which has seen two aggressions by the armies of Pakistan and China respectively in the last two decades. The meeting was also attended by Navy Vice Admiral Anil Chawla who had earlier also done the study for the creation of the Maritime Theatre Command.
The issue had become slightly controversial after the Indian Air Force expressed reservations on the way the theatre commands were being created and the way these commands were to be created. The Indian Air Force has not yet nominated any officer for conducting the study as per the new instructions issued by the DMA. The CDS had also visited the American Northern American Aerospace Defence command during his recent US visit and important notes were taken by the delegation on how this would help the Indian system.
The creation of theatre commands has been envisaged by the government for enhancing jointness among forces for warfighting. After the three services complete their respective studies, four to five officers would be asked to start working for testing the structures and how they would be made integrated with all elements in, sources said. The officers given the charge would be senior officers from the three services, said sources
