In what could be another right step in the direction of theatrsiation of command and increasing interoperability between the three services, the Western Air Command successfully conducted a high-level joint operations conclave, focused on deepening intra-service and inter-service interactions at the operational level of warfare.
The aim of the conclave was to strengthen joint operational capabilities across the Indian defence forces in an increasingly complex multi-domain environment.
Senior officers representing the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), Indian Army, Indian Navy, Defence Space Agency (DSA) and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), alongside senior leadership from the Indian Air Force, participated in the two-day conclave.
Air Marshal J.S. Mann, Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command, in his address, highlighted the importance of jointness and integrated warfighting in current and future conflicts.
He highlighted the importance of an all-domain operational approach that achieves seamless integration across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains, enabling decisive outcomes in contested and denied environments. He also emphasised the significance of improving interoperability among the services, promoting domain-agnostic decision-making processes, strengthening sensor-to-shooter linkages and refining operational procedures for greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit spoke about the need to institutionalise joint mechanisms for integrated planning, intelligence sharing and capability prioritisation. He underscored the need to institutionalise joint mechanisms for integrated planning, intelligence sharing and capability prioritisation.
He also spoke about the importance of advancing all-domain integration to achieve synergistic effects across services and deliver unified operational outcomes.
Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, in his address, highlighted the lessons learned from Operation Sindoor and elaborated on their far-reaching implications for the conduct of future warfare. He stressed the critical role of air power in achieving decisive strategic outcomes, the necessity of integrating surface manoeuvre with offensive air operations, and the strategic benefits of employing stand-off weapons.
