With the implementation of the process of ‘theaterisation’, it will be the theatre commanders who will have the key role in military operations while the core function of the chiefs of the Indian Army, the Navy and the Air Force will be to ‘Raise, Train and Sustain (RTS)', India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has written in the preface of his recently-released book 'Ready, Relevant and Resurgent: A Blueprint for the transformation of India's Military'.
‘Theaterisation’ aims to create two parallel and complementary streams for ‘force application’ and ‘force generation’.
“The ‘force application’ component will become the responsibility of the theatre commander, whereas the service chiefs, in their transformed role will be responsible for what is colloquially called the ‘Raise, Train and Sustain (RTS) function”, writes Gen Chauhan.
This system would be similar to the military system devised in the US where the ‘theaterisation’ process was top-driven after the US government brought in the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defence Reorganisation Act of 1986.
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This act in the US came up with the concept of ‘warfighting commanders’ responsible for the conduct of operations whereas service chiefs were removed from the operational responsibility with the top focus being on RST functions.
‘Theaterisation’ is the most revolutionary change being attempted by the Indian armed forces in the post-independence era.
Gen Chauhan also writes that the biggest impact of the transformative process will be on middle-level military officers, unusually understood to be the army’s colonel-ranked officers and their equivalents in the IAF and the Navy.
“The acceptability of the change will only happen once officers at all levels are aware of the impending changes. The maximum impact of these changes will be on middle-level officers who will not only need to adopt and adapt to a new normal but also take the lead in a transformed environment,” he wrote.
The CDS articulated that middle-level officers should become catalysts for the change rather than being sceptical and resisting it.
Envisaged as a process to transform the Indian military into a modern force capable of pursuing India’s national interest across multiple domains including traditional and emerging one, ‘theaterisation’ is premised on laying a strong foundation of jointness and integration at all levels among the three services.
The office of the CDS was created on September 30, 2022, with the core mandate of theaterisation, promoting jointness and integration of the Indian military.
With theaterisation, a single commander in a designated zone will command all the assets and resources of all forces be it from the Army, the Navy or the Air Force stationed in that zone.
Already, close to 200 subjects have been identified which are required to be tackled in the run-up to getting the operationally ready theatres.
The challenges are not just about the amalgamation and integration of men but also of weapons systems and platforms that are made more difficult because of the possibility of non-compatibility among the systems.