India’s 2025 'Year of Defence Reforms' Focuses On Integrated Theatre Commands, AI Robotics And Simplified Acquisition Processes

India has officially declared 2025 as the "Year of Defence Reforms," setting the stage for a transformative overhaul of its armed forces. The primary focus of these reforms is the rollout of integrated theatre commands to enhance synergy among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, enabling the military to evolve into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force.

Integrated Theatre Commands: The Core of Reform

The Defence Ministry’s flagship initiative, integrated theatre commands, aims to unify the capabilities of the three services under a single operational framework. Under this model, each theatre command will incorporate units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, collectively addressing security challenges within designated geographic areas.

At present, the services operate under separate commands, often resulting in duplication of efforts and resources. The theaterisation model seeks to eliminate inefficiencies and optimise resource utilisation to ensure seamless multi-domain operations.

Simplifying Acquisition

A key pillar of the reform agenda is simplifying defence acquisition procedures. The aim is to make these processes more time-sensitive and transparent, enabling faster capability development.

The Ministry has emphasised fostering collaboration among stakeholders, breaking silos within the defence ecosystem, and encouraging public-private partnerships.

Steps will also be taken to facilitate technology transfers, promote knowledge-sharing between the defence sector and civil industries, and improve the ease of doing business in defence manufacturing.

Embracing Emerging Technologies

Recognising the importance of advanced technologies, the reforms will focus on domains such as cyber, space, artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonic systems, and robotics.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underscored that these efforts are essential for modernising India’s armed forces to tackle 21st-century challenges effectively.

Boosting Domestic Defence Production

Positioning India as a credible exporter of defence products is another priority. The Ministry plans to foster partnerships between Indian industries and foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), while promoting research and development to drive innovation.

Cultural Pride and Indigenous Excellence

The reforms will also aim to instill pride in Indian military traditions and achievements. By fostering confidence in indigenous capabilities and adopting best practices from modern militaries, India seeks to balance its rich cultural heritage with cutting-edge advancements in defence.