Work Begins For Establishment Of Four Integrated Theatre Commands

India has kickstarted the groundwork for creating four theatre commands with four seasoned three-star generals having been directed to work out structures to set up integrated war-fighting machinery.

About two-three years’ time will be required to establish the integrated maritime theatre command (MTC), air defence command (ADC) along with two land-based commands for China and Pakistan.

The ADC will be based at either Gandhinagar or Allahabad whereas the eastern theatre command (ETC) will be situated at Lucknow or Kolkata. Similarly, the western theatre command will be headquartered at Jaipur whereas the MTC will come about in Karwar.

Four current commanders-in-chief, including two lieutenant generals along with a solitary Vice Admiral and Air Marshal, have been asked to work out and raise the structures of the new tri-service commands.

“Having been dual-tasked, the four have started their work. The Army’s South Western Command chief (Lt-Gen Amardeep Singh Bhinder), for instance, has been asked to work out the modalities for the WTC,” a source in the know of developments reported the Times of India (TOI).

The source added, “The new theatre commanders will only be appointed once the structures are in place.”

For starters, the theatre command will be assuming the operational role of the single-service commands under them.

Termed as the most far-reaching restructuring of the armed forces since the Independence, the joint commands will put the assets and the manpower of the Army, Navy and the Air Force under one operational commander in every theater ensuing quick mobilisation and inter-operatibility.