SOURCE:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/military-to-propose-setting-up-us-style-unified-commands/1/858184.html
Combat demonstration during 69th Army Day celebrations
(Picture: Ramesh Sharma)
Military to Propose Setting up US-style Unified CommandsBY
New Delhi, January 16, 2017
Combat demonstration during 69th Army Day celebrations
(Picture: Ramesh Sharma)
HIGHLIGHTS
- 1PMO is keen on a proposal that would establish unified commands in different areas of the country.
- 2Each command would have one officer in charge of the resources of all the three services.
- 3Currently, such a command is in place only in Andaman and Nicobar.
- 4US military functions on the basis of such theatre commands; China recently adopted the practice.
Signalling a major restructuring of the armed forces, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi will be given a detailed presentation
by the armed forces on the creation of theatre commands in the
country to bring in better coordination among the three armed
forces.
The presentation would be made by the chairman of the Chiefs
of Staffs Committee and Navy's Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba
during the Combined Commanders' Conference to be held at
the Indian Military Academy in Dehradoon on January 21,
sources told Mail Today here.
A detailed report in this regard has already been prepared by
the services with inputs from all stakeholders, the sources said.
A 'theatre command' would mean that the resources of all three
forces will be placed at the command of senior military
commander. The move would be on the lines of how military
commands operate in United States and China, which recently
made the change too.
Explaining how it would work, a source said that the country is
divided into four to five major areas and the assets and
personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force are put under one
officer who can belong to any of the three services. In the Indian
context, the country can be divided into geographical theatres
like southern peninsula, mountainous borders with Pakistan
and China in the north, the deserts and plains with Pakistan
and the central and eastern borders with China.
The commands can be given to the respective services based on
the terrain. For example, a Navy officer can be made in-charge
of the southern theatre comprising the eastern and western
seaboard with all naval, Army and Air Force assets under him
as the fighting would be in the maritime zone, the sources said.
PMO KEEN ON THE PROPOSAL"The Prime Minister's
Office is very keen on the proposal which was initiated after the
NDA government under Modi came to power and is considered
very important for increasing jointness in the forces," the
sources said.
In his maiden meeting with commanders, Modi had expressed
anguish at the lack of coordination among them and asked them
to work towards more joint operations rather than remaining in
silos
In 2015, after China re-structured its military commands, the
Army was asked by the government to work on creation of
theatre commands and work out its command and control
structures based upon the threat perceptions.
World's most powerful military power America also works on
the basis of theatre commands but their theatre areas include
several countries and sometimes continents while the Chinese
recently divided their military into six theatre commands.
In comparison with China, India has 17 single-service
commands with seven each of Army and Air Force and three of
the Navy. The commands operate with lot of inter-service
rivalry.
The CCC is also likely to review the functioning of nation's only
tri-service operational command functioning in Andaman and
Nicobar Command as it functions with a naval head and
deputies from Air Force and Army.
The CCC will also take up several other issues for reforms,
including the creation of the post of a new General to be known
as Permanent, Chairman Chiefs of Staffs Committee.
Also read:
[a] India should worry about Xi Jinping's overhaul of the
Chinese military
[a] India should worry about Xi Jinping's overhaul of the
Chinese military
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