What is the CDS General Bipin Rawat's roadmap for joint/ integrated theatre commands? It won't be the US model or Chinese model; it will be completed in three years, starting with Air Defence Command this year. My report. indianexpress.com/article/india/…
Besides the AD Command, there is a Peninsular Command for the two coastlines, a training command and a logistics command. But the interesting ones will be the theatre commands on China and Pakistan borders. Is J&K a theatre by itself? Is Ladakh a theatre? Is Punjab-Rajasthan one?
Two things strike in the model. These integrated theatre commands won't have full complement of air assets with them, whereby they will be held as 'reserves' with Air Force Chief to be allocated to any of them. Now this is not really an 'integrated theatre' command by definition.
Second odd bit is the command and control structure. Each of these integrated theatre commands during the 'transformation period' (easily a decade plus) will be under one of the service chiefs. I pushed CDS on it, and he said it was for smooth transition & to be always prepared.
The whole thing sounds very complex and convoluted, but perhaps this is the Indian Model. With limited resources, powerful service chiefs, lack of strategic clarity and tight timelines, this is the best that can be done. The experiment will be judged by the results, dare one say.
On the defence budget, General Rawat's response was that it is “more of a management issue than a funding issue”. Also, he said that “if it is not sufficient, how is every service chief saying that they are ready?". But he highlighted innovative resourcing and prioritisation.
Third aircraft carrier seems distant as CDS said, “look at our priority, what will be its effect on the Air Force and the Army. We have to look at the how the economy develops and how the other two services are developing. We have to see the impact of the third aircraft carrier”.
Finally, defence pensions. “The amount for defence pensions this year is around Rs 1.33 lakh crore, and last year it was somewhere around Rs 1.10 lakh crore. This is a very sharp jump. If this is the way the jump keeps happening, tell me is it sustainable?,” General Rawat said.
Summary: budgetary challenges, including of sharply rising defence pensions. Don't expect any big-ticket defence deals anytime soon. And the process of creating the 'unique Indian' model of theatre commands is going to be complex, tense and challenging. [Thread ends]
