India is getting nearer to taking on its largest military revamp Since gaining independence, the army, navy, and air force have been positioned under commanders responsible for distinct areas of warfare, raising questions about whether this structure can effectively address threats from China and... Pakistan .
Experts noted that the discussion regarding the planned Integrated Theatre Commands went beyond mere efficiency efforts, raising questions about whether India's armed forces were sufficiently unified to handle territorial conflicts and emerging challenges.
The much-anticipated proposal was presented to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the end of last month and is currently pending endorsement from his department as well as the Cabinet Committee on Security. This initiative aims to replace India's present structure consisting of 17 army, naval, and air force commands—each functioning independently—with integrated commands organized based on geographical regions and potential threats.
Are you curious about the major issues and developments happening globally? Find your answers here with SCMP Knowledge Our latest platform featuring carefully selected content, including explanations, frequently asked questions, analysis, and visual graphics, presented by our acclaimed team.
A Northern Theater Command centered on China would operate from Lucknow, whereas a Western Theater Command tasked with handling relations with Pakistan would be headquartered in Jaipur. A Naval Theater Command located in Thiruvananthapuram would manage India's concerns throughout the Indian Ocean. These three command centers are anticipated to be headed by officials from the Army, Air Force, and Navy, correspondingly.
Gaurav Kumar, a scholar with the United Service Institution of India, a defense research organization, stated that the visible collaboration between Islamabad and Beijing during Operation Sindoor was among the key factors that revived the initiative, referencing India's... military strikes against Pakistan in response to the killing of 26 civilians in the region of Jammu and Kashmir under Indian administration last year.
"India's current worry is that the military might no longer be able to handle one issue at a time. Previously, China and Pakistan were mostly seen as distinct security threats. However, there is growing perception that any upcoming crisis could come from both sides, either at the same time or in interconnected manners," Kumar stated.
Additionally, China is no longer viewed solely through the perspective of the Himalayan frontier. Its growing naval footprint in the Indian Ocean has prompted Indian strategists to take the maritime area and the broader Indo-Pacific region far more seriously.
Alongside the Integrated Theatre Commands initiative, steps are being taken to set up a joint operations control center for all three services.
Last month, India's former head of defense forces, General Anil Chauhan, mentioned that a Joint Operations Coordination Centre (JOCC) for the armed forces would become functional by the end of June, though New Delhi has not officially verified the schedule.
Experts anticipate that the JOCC will improve operational and intelligence cooperation among the three military branches, placing more focus on unmanned and automated systems as seen in modern international conflicts, alongside intentions to establish a Joint Drone Warfare Center.
Kumar mentioned that conversations at both centers indicated the emphasis extended beyond command systems to include the methods of conducting future conflicts.
"Recent clashes have highlighted the increasing significance of unmanned aerial vehicles, intelligence integration, and immediate situation monitoring," Kumar stated, noting that India is also seeking lessons from other armed forces, including China's theatre command reforms.
The Indian government's plan for Integrated Theatre Commands might greatly enhance its military effectiveness, he mentioned. "This could mark the biggest overhaul of India's top-level defense structure since independence."
In 2016, China implemented a comparable military realignment, with its Western Theater Command overseeing the full length of the border shared with India.
Rakesh Sharma, an armed forces commentator and former major general in the Indian Army, mentioned that military unification is usually a prolonged procedure, as observed in China.
In recent years, the argument for theatre command has gained more traction in India, according to an analyst from the Centre for Land Warfare Studies in Delhi.
"Conditions are favorable for land-based theaters involving two opponents and one spanning the wide area of the naval theater," Sharma stated.
Rahul Rawat, a research assistant within the strategic studies program at the Observer Research Foundation think tank, stated that theater command structures aim to ensure unity in planning, resource allocation, and operational capacities, while upholding the distinct advantages of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
"A necessity exists for implementing a top-down framework that combines abilities while also embracing a bottom-up strategy to foster a 'jointness' mindset, culture, and operational comprehension within military personnel," Rawat stated.
Air power question
Although the idea of Integrated Theatre Commands has been discussed since 2000—when the Kargil Review Committee was formed to assess India's shortcomings during the 1999 Kargil conflict—experts and retired officials noted that it picked up speed after the establishment of the position of Chief of Defence Staff in 2019.
A major unanswered challenge for India involves managing aerial resources that could be required across multiple fronts simultaneously on a single day.
The Indian Air Force has opposed efforts to integrate it into the upcoming theater command structure because of worries that this change might limit its ability to manage operations and adapt quickly, especially when planes are placed under local commanders.
Kapil Kak, an ex-Indian Air Vice-Marshal, stated that the air force opposed the idea because it worried about its aerial resources being split into "small groups" across different regions.
War can become highly ineffective. Components such as air-based early detection and command systems, about six aerial refueling planes, and minimal capabilities in electronic warfare must be distributed throughout the nation.
Kak mentioned a situation where an electronic warfare plane could be required in Kashmir during the day, Jorhat in the evening, and Mumbai overnight. The difficulty lay in figuring out how various regions would manage the deployment of the air force's resources, he explained.
India's current requirement is to get ready for a shared danger from China and Pakistan, similar to what occurred during Operation Sindoor. The key lies in collaborative strategy and coordinated multi-force actions.
The military's large numbers might grant it excessive power within the emerging framework, Kak stated.
Kumar mentioned that he could see why the Indian Air Force (IAF) felt worried about the suggested changes.
According to the IAF, aerial strength achieves maximum effectiveness when it maintains flexibility and can be quickly redeployed across different regions. Considering India's military resources and the potential for concurrent threats from both China and Pakistan, these issues cannot be overlooked.
More Articles from SCMP
Advance-registration for the Hong Kong Bridge Half-Marathon begins on Thursday.
The article was first published on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top-tier news outlet covering stories about China and Asia.
© 2026. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.