CDS Bipin Rawat plans to create air defence, logistics & peninsula theatre commands

India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat is planning to redesign the military commands by establishing new joint commands in order to combine the three armed forces and assets and utilise them as per the threats at India's borders. 

CDS Bipin Rawat on Tuesday proposed to collaborate and create an 'air defence command' to cover all aerial operations carried out in the Indian airspace, a 'peninsula command' to look over all naval operations in the nearby Indian Ocean region, and a 'logistics command'.

Speaking to the reporters, the CDS said: "In order to become the armed forces of the Union, we need to start working on some of the aspects where we think immediate integration can happen. There, we find that air defence is one area, which according to me, is a low hanging fruit and can happen in a time-bound manner." 

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Bipin Rawat said that the integration of all assets under one service ensures simplified control. Citing the example of medical, he said that resources, surpluses and deficiencies need to be better managed among all three services so that the doctors are neither overworked nor underutilised.

Need for 'peninsula command'

CDS Rawat also said there is a need for a peninsula command, for the Indian Navy. Currently, there is East and West command of the Navy over the Indian Ocean. The two commands are the Navy Chief's charters. As the charter looks over the entire Indian Ocean region, the Navy Chief can focus on the bigger picture.

Therefore, with the creation of the peninsula command, the Navy Chief can disengage himself from the closer Indian Ocean region and look at the bigger picture, Bipin Rawat explained.

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Creation of Theatre commands

When asked if he has finalised which theatre commands would be finally created, CDS Bipin Rawat said that he would like to discuss the matter with the three service chiefs before creating the commands.

Rawat said that as far as the Indo-Chinese border is concerned, no decision has been taken on the number of theatres to be created. "Some thoughts have been exchanged with the service chiefs regarding this matter," he added.

The CDS stated that initially, the theatre commanders would report to their respective service chiefs.

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When asked if it will become too complex managing multiple layer with the theatre commanders reporting to the service chiefs, CDS said, "This is a transformational phase... Initially, you see, you don't want to mess up the thing while going for the transformation as you don't know when things will turn ugly."

Speaking about the time frame needed to create these theatre commands, Bipin Rawat said, "I have been given three years... for the creation of these theatres."

He added that in the DMA, total six joint secretaries - four from armed forces and two from civil services - are working.

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(With inputs from ANI)

(Image source: PTI)