CCC 2025: PM Message of JAI, Yet ITCs Remain Elusive

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The theme of CCC 2025 being Reforms, Transformation & Change and Operational Preparedness the Prime Minister’s directive the first of the three- Jointness through Theaterisation as its core   assumes priority. But scepticism persists and there is hesitation for comprehensive reforms due to ongoing global uncertainty and the plan for keeping Operation Sindoor vis a vis Pakistan in perpetuity. Yet incremental establishment of the Maritime or the Eastern Theatre Command could be the way ahead.  Here is a look at the latest developments related to Theaterisation.

At the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) in Kolkata, West Bengal from September 15 – 17, the top commanders of the Indian armed forces interacted with the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and other key defence leaders.

Addressing the meet on the first day the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave three themes as his mantra - Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation or JAI.

Expanding on the same Raksha Mantri [Defence Minister] Rajnath Singh also touched upon jointness in terms of creation of Tri-Service Logistics Nodes and Tri-Service Logistic Management Application to promote integration and jointness in the defence sector

Of critical importance in relation to objectives of the CCC 2025 however is Jointness with theaterisation or Integrated Theatre Commands [ITCs] as the core.

While jointness is the initial stage of operational synergy, interoperability can be built through integrated operations which are feasible only through theaterisation.

Multiple models for theater commands have been proposed over the years with the current one focusing on three commands – Northern/Western, Eastern and Maritime under the, ‘One Border, One Force’ principle.

Indian armed forces are currently organised in 17 single-service commands — seven each for the Army and IAF, and three for the Navy.

When seen in the light of tapering of the 17 single service commands to three may appear to be unwieldy for some due to complications of expanse of geographic fronts and having to face two enemies – Pakistan and China on the Northern/Western and the Maritime.

Alternative models of splitting the Western between Pakistan and China have also been debated.

Whatever the model, a single service commander will lead the unified tri-service command within a specific geographic area, empowered to rapidly and efficiently deploy Army, Navy, and Air Force assets allocated.

Functional commands such as logistics, space and cyber are also possibly in the offing thereby providing the desired impetus to joint planning and support.

However, there is a high degree of scepticism in the armed forces for creating theatre commands. The Indian Air Force and the Indian Army Chiefs have recently claimed at different forums that their forces remain the core for winning future wars.

The Chief of Defence Staff is striking a conciliatory tone to bring the varied views of the service chiefs on one slate.

History of Jointness & ITCs

After the 1999 Kargil war, the government and armed forces began exploring integration of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to enhance coordination and resource use during key operations.

This led to the establishment of India’s first tri-service command in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2001. Strategic Forces Command was created to oversee the country’s nuclear arsenal IN 2003.

Parliament approved theater commands in principle by passing the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill in August 2023, which came into effect on May 10 last year.

India’s ITCs follow a modified US model wherein theatre commanders will report to the Department of Military Affairs, headed by the chief of defence staff (CDS) — a position created by government in December 2019. General Bipin Rawat was the first CDS, and General Anil Chauhan currently holds the post.

Inter Services Differences

Differences over the theaterisation plan came out in the open during the two-day Ran Samvad conclave at the Army War College in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh in August.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy took sharply opposing positions on the issue.

Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh proposedv the setting up of a joint planning and coordination centre in New Delhi comprising top military brass to ensure tri-service synergy. “Disrupting everything and making one structure now at this time may not be the best way forward,” Singh argued. “We don’t really actually need another structure at the lower level. I feel having joint planning and coordination at the apex level is what is required.”

Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi expressed full support for the theaterisation plan.

“With theaterisation as the ultimate goal, we are propelling ahead with the goal of unified planning, common picture and integrated operation,” CDS said

“As the CDS, I actually set out to promote jointness among the three services. And today, I can say with some kind of pleasure and confidence that we can speak about our differences in a very conducive kind of environment, and with openness (and hear) other different points of view,” he said.

“Even if you don’t agree with the point, there could be hundreds of points we can discuss over here on which there could have been a dissonance among the three services, but yet we are able to listen to that point. I think it is a very good sign. So, if you have sensed some kind of a dissonance, let me assure you that we will resolve it in the best interest of the nation,” the CDS underlined. 

While the government has been pushing for the long-delayed integrated theatre commands (ITCs), resistance persists within the military.

Advantages of Theaterisation

The advantages of theaterisation are obvious. This is a stage forward from jointness achieving integration of intelligence acquisition, planning, operations and logistics under a single commander. This will considerably close the higher OODA loop with reduction of layers in coordination for acquisition of intelligence and operations. Integrating multiple domains such as cyber, space and information will be facilitated at the operational level rather than a trickle down from the top. Operations will thus be Effects Based thus utilizing the most appropriate resource for carrying out a mission.

In case of Operations Sindoor 2 for instance India’s response will have to be launched within days rather than weeks as having declared the option in case of a Pak terror strike, loss of strategic surprise can be made up through rapid operational response for which an integrated HQs is a sine qua non.

Way Ahead

With the PM giving specific directions on the J or Jointness in JAI, implementation of the ITC model needs to be watched out for.

However, if historical examples are anything to go by – large and comparable militaries the world over as the United States and China have adopted theaterisation and jointness through a directive by the political executive and never voluntarily through consensus.

There may be some hesitation for large scale reforms due to ongoing global uncertainty and the plan for keeping Operation Sindoor vis a vis Pakistan in perpetuity.

Yet incremental establishment of the Maritime or the Eastern Theatre Command could be the first step ahead.