First tri-service common defence station

Context

Mumbai will be turned into the first tri-service common defence station in the country for the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Proposed common defence station

• • A common defence station will merge all Army, Navy, and Air Force centers, like logistics and renovation, under one leadership.
  • In Mumbai, the Navy will lead because of its largest presence.
  • At present, wings of the 3 services unfold throughout Mumbai and its suburbs and perform separately.
  • This will imply the logistics, services, and works of the individual services will be integrated so that there is a single system of delivery of elements such as fuel and ration and common items can be repaired at one place.

• Other proposed common defence stations

• • With Mumbai being the first common defence station being planned, Sulur (close to Coimbatore) and Guwahati are possibly to be chosen as places for the second and third common defence stations.
  • While the lead carrier for Sulur is possibly to be IAF, the Army will possibly be the lead carrier for the Guwahati station.

Theaterisation of Armed Forces

• It is a concept which seeks to integrate the capabilities of the 3 services – navy, air force and navy – to optimally utilise their resources for wars and operations.
• A theatre command/unit might be created by integrating elements/assets from all the 3 services.
  • Simply placed, a theatre command deploys elements of the 3 services under a single, unified command structure.
• Each command is assigned a specific geographical location, combining resources of the 3 services for operational roles.
• As of now, almost all predominant countries like China, Russia, the USA, the UK and France work on a theatre command concept.
• For example, China’s Western Theatre Command looks after the whole borders with India.

Theatre commands and India

• The Kargil Review Committee, the Naresh Chandra Committee and the Group of Ministers had referred to structural modifications in higher defence management.
• It was the Shekatkar committee, which had recommended the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and theatre commands.

Current command structure in India

• At presnt, India has 17 single carrier commands and best  tri-service commands.
• The 17 single service commands are divided as:
  • Army – 7 commands; Airforce – 7 commands; Navy – 3 commands
• The tri-service commands are: Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), and The Strategic Force Command (handles the nuclear guns).
• The Andaman and Nicobar command is a complete-fledged command raised as a tri-service command in 2001.

Recent steps taken with the aid of India towards theaterisation

• Proposal to create a national defence committee

• • • There is a proposal for theatre commanders under a national defence committee probable to be headed by the Defence Minister.

• Inter-Services Organisation (Command, Control and Discipline) Act 2023

• • The act empowers the commander-in-chief and the officer-in-command of inter-services establishments with disciplinary and administrative powers over employees from the other services serving in them.
  • Limited cross-postings among the Army, Navy and IAF have already been carried out to promote jointness.
  • Restructuring of the headquarters and the following postings will take place after the final approval from the govt.

Source: The Indian Express

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q.Discuss the concept of theaterization of Armed Forces. What are the primary objectives and advantages of implementing theaterization in the armed forces?

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