Preparing for theatre commands Joint military stations Amar Ujala 23 Sep 2025 Maj Gen Harsha Kakar
https://www.amarujala.com/columns/opinion/preparing-for-theatre-commands-a-new-path-of-military-reforms-focuses-on-troops-cohesion-and-technology-2025-09-23
Preparing for theatre commands: Joint military stations Amar Ujala 23 Sep 2025
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared 2025 as the year of reforms. A press release issued by the MoD on 01 Jan this year mentioned that reforms would aim at, ‘transforming the Armed Forces into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force capable of multi-domain integrated operations.’ It added that this includes ‘bolstering Jointness and Integration initiatives and facilitates establishment of the Integrated Theatre Commands.’ There were other reforms also.
On Integrated Theatre Commands there are disagreements between the services. While the army and the navy are desiring their creation, the air force feels otherwise, based on its versatility and reduced force strength. The army chief recently stated that these will have to be created in some timeframe. The CDS has repeatedly mentioned that the three services would be taken on board prior to its implementation.
Reforms for the future were given special emphasis in the recently concluded Combined Commanders Conference held in Kolkata in mid-Sept. The conference was addressed by the PM and defence minister, amongst others. The theme for the conference this year was ‘year of reform- transforming for the future.’ The last such event was held in 2023.
The PM in his address emphasized on Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and innovation for enhancing operational readiness. The defence minister spoke on emphasis being accorded to the Sudharshan Chakra project of air defence announced by the PM from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. The defence minister released the Joint Military Space Doctrine.
Discussions amongst the participants included interoperability between the forces, streamlining decision making and reforming institutional structures in the space, cyber and special operations domains. It was also reported that the CDS raised directions given by the PM and defence minister on the final day of the conference and the group discussed a road map for implementing them.
A few major decisions, marking increased jointness, were taken in the conference. HQ IDS (Integrated Defence Staff), which functions under the CDS and coordinated the event, tweeted, ‘On the final day of the Combined Commanders’ Conference 2025, decision by all the Chiefs and Commanders for merging of education branches of three services to form single Tri-Services Education Corps was announced. The decision on formation of three Joint Military Stations was also announced.’
The education department of the three services are responsible for enhancing educational level of troops in garrisons, Sainik schools and training institutions of individual services as also common to all. The army had earlier planned to reorient its education corps into the Army Knowledge and Enablers Corps with a broader mandate including cyber, Information Technology and linguistic capabilities. It was meant to be responsible for cybersecurity, information technology, and perception management, along with linguistics. Trained experts in these fields have already begun being inducted.
It was not clear in the initial announcement by HQ IDS whether this would also be the norm for the navy and air force. Also, what would be the impact on the army’s intent of reorientation of the corps in case the merger of the education branch takes place in its current form. It may be time before details on the same emerge in the public domain.
The other major aspect discussed was creation of joint military stations. Based on the decision of the government, existing cantonments are being converted into military stations with civilian pockets being handed over to local municipal bodies. A number of cantonments are currently in the process of being converted into military stations.
Military stations are locations where troops are housed along with families as also conduct training. The only existing joint military stations are under the Andaman and Nicobar Command located in Port Blair. Joint operational logistics nodes are already functioning in Mumbai, Guwahati and Port Blair.
Currently, where there are more than one service in a station, each maintains its own accommodation and facilities. Some facilities such as clubs and hospitals are common for all. The new policy would imply that all accommodation and facilities would be under the control of the senior service, which would allocate them under a common rooster. How would this work out is to be seen.
The announcement made in the recent conference mentions three stations where these would be initially implemented in a trial measure. Though the stations have not been announced it is expected that the trial would include one station each where one service is a major stakeholder. While troop locations will not be touched other accommodation would be merged.
The armed forces are steadily moving towards increased integration and jointness. The ultimate would be the creation of integrated theatre commands, which is still some distance away. Till then these incremental steps would continue being taken.