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Monograph 01 · Military Modernisation

Tri-Service Integration, CDS/DMA Reforms, and the Road to Integrated Theatre Commands

Defence Observer Strategic Research Centre · 18 Oct 2026 · 16 min read

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CDS Gen Anil Chauhan with senior Army, Navy and Air Force commanders at the 35th Tri-Services Training Commanders Conference, Kochi

Key facts

Forum
35th Tri-Services Commanders' Conference, Kochi
Statutory enabler
ISO Act 2023
Proposed theatres
3 integrated commands
Desk
Military Modernisation
Published
18 Oct 2026
Reading time
16 min

Abstract

Since the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), India's higher defence organisation has pursued jointness in planning, procurement, logistics and training. Drawing on the experience of the Andaman & Nicobar Command and the Strategic Forces Command, this paper examines the institutional building blocks that integrated theatre commands require.

Evolution of higher defence management

  • 2001: HQ Integrated Defence Staff created; the Andaman & Nicobar Command set up at Port Blair as India's first geographic tri-service command.
  • 2003: the functional tri-service Strategic Forces Command established.
  • 2019–2020: the CDS and the Department of Military Affairs created within the Ministry of Defence.
  • Ongoing: joint logistics nodes, common communication networks, integrated air defence, and tri-service agencies for cyber, space and special operations.

Five pillars of practical jointness

  • Integrated planning: unified perspective planning aimed at multi-domain deterrence rather than separate service inventories.
  • Joint logistics and maintenance: shared nodes and warehousing to cut duplication in forward theatres.
  • Interoperable C4ISR: data links that give all three Services one real-time picture.
  • Joint professional military education at NDA Khadakwasla, DSSC Wellington and NDC New Delhi.
  • Doctrinal coherence: joint doctrines for amphibious, airborne, mountain, cyber and electronic warfare operations.

What the record shows

13 Nov 2024PIB release 2073130 (opens in a new tab)

Official record: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan chaired the 35th Tri-Services Commanders' Conference at Southern Naval Command, Kochi, reviewing jointness in training and shared tri-service infrastructure.

Defence Observer synthesis: Standardising officer education, joint C4ISR procedures and a common logistics taxonomy at training-command level removes service silos before theatres are activated, and puts the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023 into practice.

11 Nov 2024PIB release 2072518 (opens in a new tab)

Official record: Antariksha Abhyas 2024, hosted by the Defence Space Agency in New Delhi, was India's first military space exercise, with the three Services, ISRO, DRDO and academia.

Defence Observer synthesis: Precision systems depend on space-based ISR, navigation and SATCOM; wargaming counter-space threats establishes space as a warfighting domain.

Assessment

  • Theatreisation needs common training, doctrine and logistics standards before organisational change.
  • The proposed architecture is three integrated commands.
  • The Defence Space Agency could grow into a tri-service space command linked to every regional theatre.

Sources & citation

Cite this paper

Defence Observer Strategic Research Centre (2026). Tri-Service Integration, CDS/DMA Reforms, and the Road to Integrated Theatre Commands. Defence Observer, PRGI Reg. No. DLBIL/26/A7836.