Theatre commands plan moves ahead as new CDS prepares key briefing for defence minister

General NS Raja Subramani, who recently assumed office as India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), is expected to push forward the long-pending military theatre commands reform by making a detailed presentation to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh by the end of this month, according to a Hindustan Times report.

The proposal was prepared by former CDS General Anil Chauhan, who submitted the final draft before completing his tenure on May 31. The new CDS is now expected to brief the defence minister on the roadmap for implementing the reform.

Once approved by the minister, the proposal will be sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for final clearance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The theatre commands project has been under discussion since 2022.

The proposed structure includes three main theatre commands—a Northern Theatre Command focused on China, a Western Theatre Command focused on Pakistan, and a Maritime Theatre Command that will include the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

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The plan also proposes the creation of four new four-star appointments, including the post of Vice Chief of Defence Staff (VCDS), with each theatre command headed by a four-star officer.

What theatre commands will change

At present, the Army, Navy and Air Force function through separate command structures. The Army has seven operational commands, the Air Force has seven and the Navy has three, with each service maintaining its own planning, command chain and operational responsibilities.

The proposed theatre command system aims to replace this service-specific structure with integrated commands. Under the new model, a single commander will have operational control over Army, Navy and Air Force assets assigned to a particular geographical area or operational domain.

For instance, during a conflict along the western border, one theatre commander would direct military operations involving all three services instead of each service operating independently and coordinating during the conflict.

Focus on joint operations

The move is intended to improve coordination, speed up decision-making and strengthen joint military operations. The need for greater integration has gained importance following recent conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict, where drones, missiles, cyber capabilities and electronic warfare have played a significant role.

Several countries, including the United States and China, already operate through integrated theatre commands. China reorganised its military into five theatre commands in 2016, while the United States uses unified combatant commands for different regions of the world.

India currently has two tri-service commands—the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Strategic Forces Command. The proposed reform would extend such integration across conventional military operations.

Responsibilities to be clearly divided

According to a News18 report, under the proposed system, theatre commanders will be responsible for conducting military operations, while the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs will focus on raising, training and equipping their respective forces.

Former CDS General Anil Chauhan had described the model as separating "force application" from "force generation", a structure followed by several advanced militaries.

According to the report, much of the groundwork has already been completed. The Defence Minister has approved the proposal in principle, the National Security Adviser has examined the framework, and the three service chiefs along with the CDS have endorsed it.

Joint instructions applicable across all three services have also begun replacing separate service-specific directives, marking a gradual shift towards integrated military functioning.