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Integrated Theatre Commands
Context: A public difference of opinion among the senior leadership of the Indian Armed Forces regarding the implementation of Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs) emerged at the inaugural tri-service ‘RAN Samwad’ seminar.
What is an Integrated Theatre Command (ITC)?
An Integrated Theatre Command is a unified military structure designed for the seamless conduct of operations in a specific geographical area. It moves away from the current single-service command model to a truly integrated one:
- Unified Structure: It amalgamates components of the Army, Navy, and Air Force under a single operational commander, who will have control over all assets (troops, warships, aircraft) allotted to that theatre.
- Geographical Focus: Each ITC is responsible for all security challenges within a defined geographical territory (e.g., a Western Theatre Command for Pakistan, an Eastern Theatre Command for China, and a Maritime Theatre Command for the Indian Ocean Region).
- Single Point of Authority: The Theatre Commander, who could be from any of the three services based on the primary threat in that theatre, reports to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the CDS at the apex level.
How can ITC enhance India’s security architecture?
- Enhanced Jointness and Synergy: ITCs will break down inter-service silos and foster a truly integrated war-fighting culture.
- Optimal Resource Utilisation: It prevents duplication of assets and resources (like logistics, intelligence, and communications) across different service commands operating in the same region, leading to significant cost savings and efficiency.
- Faster Decision-Making: By placing all forces under one commander in a theatre, the response time to emerging threats is drastically reduced.
- Deterrence Value: A unified and agile command structure signals to adversaries a high level of military preparedness and the capability to launch a coordinated, massive response, thereby strengthening deterrence.
What steps have been taken to establish Integrated Theatre Commands?
- Institutional Reforms: The creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in 2019 and the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) were the foundational steps to drive jointness and oversee the theatrisation process.
- Functional Integration: The establishment of joint logistics nodes, the Defence Cyber Agency, the Defence Space Agency, and the Special Operations Division were “test-bed” initiatives to work out the complexities of tri-service integration before rolling out the larger theatre commands.
- Ongoing Deliberations: As seen in the RAN Samwad seminar, intense discussions and debates are underway among the services to finalise the contours of the model.
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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH
