Indian Air Force Opposes Theatre Commands, CDS Bipin Rawat Calls For Meeting

New Delhi, 21st June 2021: The proposed formation of the theatre command in India is constantly facing obstacles. Last year, it was reported that India would also form a theatre command on the lines of countries like the US and China.

However, this has not yet been possible due to differences between the three armed forces. In this regard, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has called a meeting on Wednesday. However, some reports claim that the process may be further delayed.

Even so, some media reports indicate that the Ministry of Defence, the Army and the Indian Navy are fully prepared to form a theatre command but the Indian Air Force (IAF) is against the process. According to reports, there are many objections to naming the Air Force as commands.

Theatre command means bringing the units of the Army, Air Force and Navy, all three, under one theatre commander in an area. The officer in charge of the operational command of these units may belong to any of the three forces. At present, they do their work independently.

The biggest difference with the establishment of the theatre command is that the work done by one force will not be done by another. The armed forces of many countries of the world, including the United States and China, are operating under this system.

According to media reports, the Air Force is opposed to the division of its limited airspace between different theatre commands, as control of the Western and Eastern naval fleets, marine strike fighter jets, Indian Air Force transport aircraft, and two infantry brigades of the Army, as well as the Coast Guard, will be subject to the Maritime Theater Command.

Last year, it was reported that the country’s first theatre command may come into existence in early 2021. According to the report, the first theatre command will be the Maritime Command, which will be responsible for the security of the Indian maritime area. The work of making this command is in full swing.

A total of seven theatre commands are to be formed in the country under the reforms taking place in the armies. These include the Northern Theater Command for the China border, the Western Theater Command for the Pakistan border, and the Peninsula Theater Command for South India. At present, Andaman and Nicobar is the only command in the country in which all the three forces are already involved. But the area of this command is limited.