Pune: CDS Anil Chauhan on Pakistan, Operation Sindoor and India’s Joint Theatre Command Plan
Pune, 9th January 2026: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday said Pakistan was forced to make sweeping changes to its defence and military command structure following Operation Sindoor, indicating that the outcome of the operation exposed serious institutional weaknesses on the other side of the border.
Addressing the Pune Public Policy Festival 2026 at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE), Gen Chauhan said Pakistan’s decision to amend its Constitution and overhaul its higher defence organisation reflected the impact of the operation. He noted that such rapid restructuring typically follows strategic setbacks rather than success.
Referring to the changes made by Pakistan, Gen Chauhan pointed out that the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has been done away with and replaced by a Chief of Defence Forces. In addition, Islamabad has created new bodies such as the National Strategy Command and an Army Rocket Forces Command. According to the CDS, these steps have concentrated land, joint and strategic military authority in a single individual, a move he described as inconsistent with the principle of jointness.
“This kind of centralisation indicates a land-focused approach to warfare and can generate internal structural challenges within the military,” Gen Chauhan said, cautioning that effective modern armed forces require balanced and integrated command systems rather than excessive consolidation of power.
Responding to questions on whether Operation Sindoor had influenced changes in India’s military command framework, Gen Chauhan clarified that the CDS does not exercise direct command over the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs. However, he said the position carries overall operational responsibility. As the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, decisions are taken collectively to ensure coordination and integration across the services.
He added that the CDS has direct oversight over emerging and specialised domains, including space, cyber, electromagnetic and cognitive warfare, as well as special forces functioning under the Integrated Defence Staff.
Gen Chauhan also spoke about the changing nature of warfare globally, stating that technology is increasingly shaping military strategy, replacing geography as the dominant factor. “Historically, geography dictated campaigns, from Panipat to Plassey. Today, technology is driving how wars are planned and fought,” he said.
While future conflicts may rely more on non-contact and non-kinetic methods, he warned that conventional ground combat remains harsh and resource-intensive, particularly along contested borders with Pakistan and China. He stressed the need for preparedness across the full spectrum of conflict, even as efforts continue to avoid prolonged attritional warfare.
On the formation of India’s proposed joint theatre commands, Gen Chauhan said the government has extended the deadline for their establishment to May 30, 2026. However, he added that the armed forces are working to implement the new structure well ahead of the revised timeline. Calling it a key responsibility of his office, he said the process has entered its final phase.
The CDS said valuable lessons on higher defence management had been drawn from Operation Sindoor as well as earlier operations and standoffs, including the Uri surgical strikes, Doklam and Galwan confrontations, and the Balakot air strike. He noted that these missions were executed through customised command arrangements tailored to specific situations.
“What we are now moving towards is a standardised and robust system that can be applied across different scenarios,” Gen Chauhan said, expressing confidence that most of the foundational work for joint theatre commands has already been completed and that the integrated structure would be operational before the deadline.
