Restructuring in DMA?

The operational control of all the theatre commands will eventually come under CDS, with the service chiefs being responsible for raising, training and sustaining their forces.

“CDS will have operational control over all the integrated commands when they are fully functional. This will be in his role as CDS, and not as permanent chairman, COSC. And whenever that happens, some restructuring will have to be carried out in DMA,” said the first official.

The restructuring, he said, could involve the chief of integrated defence staff to COSC, or CISC, being appointed as the secretary of DMA in due course to allow CDS to focus on the theatre commands. CISC is a three-star officer and the number 2 man in DMA. DMA is one of the five verticals in the defence ministry, apart from the departments of defence, defence production, defence research and development and ex-service welfare.

“The armed forces will also have to ensure that the transformation also factors in transition management, as we have to be present-relevant and effective as also future ready,” Bhatia said.

The government is clear about one thing — the setting up of the integrated commands will not entail creating new infrastructure. “If you take that route, it not only adds to the financial burden but also becomes a fiveyear plan. The integrated commands will be created using existing infrastructure,” said the second official.

The Indian military is pushing ahead with theaterisation at a time when the country faces a collusive threat from China and Pakistan. The threat isn’t just something that is a part of some strategic paper or loud thought process, but it manifests itself on the ground, army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on January 12.