India’s theaterisation effort—the biggest and most complex reforms to have ever been undertaken in the country’s military history—is set to continue without the smallest pause, with the tenure being continued for Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan.
Gen Chauhan helms the massive effort that would see the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force working under a single operational command.
A defence ministry release on Wednesday said: “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has, on 24th September 2025, approved the extension of service of General Anil Chauhan as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who shall also function as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs, upto 30th May 2026, or until further orders.”
Gen Chauhan was appointed the CDS on September 28, 2022.
At the time of his appointment, the notification did not fix the tenure but had indicated that Gen Chauhan would continue till attaining the age of 65 years.
While his tenure as CDS completes three years on September 30—the usual tenure period for a top-level post—technically, he would have retired on May 18, 2026, when he turns 65. The Army, Navy and IAF chiefs have a fixed three-year service tenure at that post or not to exceed 62 years of age, whichever comes earlier.
Theaterisation, to be looked at in conjunction with the jointness and integration effort, at the lowest level, mandates that 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. The challenge is to seamlessly integrate men and material of the three armed services into one single fighting unit.
India’s theaterisation effort suffered enormously when the country’s first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash on December 8, 2021, in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, leading to a long pause in executing the plans.
While the plan was largely on the drawing board during Gen Rawat’s tenure, it is Gen Chauhan who brought in much-needed traction by executing a slew of orders like empowering the CDS to issue joint instructions and joint orders for the Army, Navy and the Air Force.
Earlier, instructions and orders pertaining to two or more Services were issued by each Service separately.
Last year, the government had also notified the Inter-Services Organisations (ISO) (Command, Control and Discipline) Act which empowered the commander-in-chief and officer-in-command of Inter-Services Organisations (ISOs) with all disciplinary and administrative powers in respect of the personnel serving in or attached to such organisations.
The fine print in the government’s latest decision is indicative of the intent to go ahead in full speed on theaterisation.