Indian Armed Forces Tri-Service Commands

The emblem of the Indian Armed Forces (top), signifying the synergy of the three services of the Indian military. tri-services logo (top) is a combination of the logos of the three services (bottom).

Integrated Theatre Commands of the Indian Armed Forces are varying degrees of synergy and cross–service cooperation between the military wings of the Indian Armed Forces. Following Independence, in 1949 a joint educational framework was set up starting with the first^[a] tri-service academy in the world, the National Defence Academy, and over the years this joint educational framework has been expanded to bring officers from the different services together at different stages of their careers.^[2]

Jointness and integration is achieved through tri–service organisations such as the Integrated Defence Staff. The creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in January 2020 was seen as a major push for the indigenous joint warfare and theaterisation process of the Indian Armed Forces.^[3][4][5] The recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee promoted increasing jointness and integration. Subsequent committees such as the Shekatkar Committee in 2016 included the creation of three integrated theatre commands.^[6][7] In February 2020, CDS Bipin Rawat said two to five theatre commands may be set up.^[8] The completion of the creation of theatre commands, both integrated and joint commands, will take a number of years.^[9][10] Indian Air Force opposed the formation of unified theatre commands citing limitation of resources.^[11]

India currently has service–specific commands system.^[6] However, joint and integrated commands, also known as unified commands; and further divided into theatre or functional commands, have been set up and more are proposed. The only fully functional theatre command is the Andaman and Nicobar Command set up in 2001 while the Strategic Forces Command, set up in 2003, is an integrated functional command or specified combatant command.^[12] Recently constructed integrated functional commands under the Integrated Defence Staff include the Defence Cyber Agency, Defence Space Agency and the Special Operations Division.

There is and has been significant support as well as significant opposition to some of the attempts at jointness and integration, such as the theaterisation process, at the highest levels of government and the public.

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