Theaterisation must reflect India’s security needs: Air Chief Marshal

The Air Chief Marshal said theaterisation should preserve air power’s flexibility while creating effective joint structures. Its guiding principle should be centralised control where necessary and decentralised execution where appropriate. The design must match India’s own security requirements, not copy foreign models.

He opposed a rushed rollout because this transformation is unusually large and could affect operational readiness. The IAF is especially cautious about permanently dividing fighter squadrons among fixed geographical commands. Aircraft can support different sectors as threats change.

The plan should therefore advance in phases. This would allow the services to test and adjust the structure without weakening readiness. Singh also warned against predicting future battlefields with excessive certainty. Future conflicts may be faster, more autonomous, network-dependent, transparent, deceptive, and precise, while also involving mass.

Theaterisation is a military reorganisation that brings the Army, Navy, and Air Force into integrated commands. Each command would plan and conduct operations across a defined strategic area or mission. The purpose is greater jointness and operational synergy, rather than having the services work separately.

India’s proposed architecture includes three theatre commands: Northern, Western, and Maritime. The Northern command would focus on China, the Western command on Pakistan, and the Maritime command on maritime challenges. The plan was announced in 2019 as India’s most ambitious military reform since Independence.

The concept remains under discussion because the services disagree about command structures. The IAF supports jointness and integration but does not want theaterisation to permanently divide fighter assets geographically. It argues that air power may need to move quickly between sectors as threats evolve.

Theaterisation would combine India’s three military services: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The aim is to make them plan and operate together, creating greater operational synergy. It is a structural reform intended to coordinate military power more effectively.

The proposed architecture has three integrated commands. The Northern Theatre Command, based in Lucknow, would focus on China. The Western Theatre Command, based in Jaipur, would address challenges from Pakistan. The Maritime Theatre Command, based in Thiruvananthapuram, would cover maritime responsibilities.

The structure has not fully advanced because the services hold divergent views about command arrangements. The IAF is committed to integration but has reservations about splitting fighter squadrons among the proposed commands. It argues that aircraft can be shifted between sectors and should not be treated as permanently tied to one theatre.

If fighter aircraft were permanently divided among geographical commands, India could lose some of air power’s central advantages. Aircraft might remain tied to one area even when another sector urgently needed additional combat power. This could make the overall response less flexible.

The IAF says aircraft are not relevant only to the place where they operate. Aerial refuelling, long-range weapons, networked sensors, and suitable basing allow air power to be massed from considerable distances. These tools support movement between sectors as threats evolve.

The article does not describe a specific completed consequence of permanent division. However, Singh’s argument is clear: fixed allocation could conflict with the ability to concentrate force rapidly. India’s future structure should therefore preserve centralised control of air power where necessary, while allowing local commanders to act quickly.

The IAF believes fighter aircraft may need to move between theatres because threats do not remain fixed inside neat geographical boundaries. Air power can respond across large distances and concentrate combat strength where the decisive need appears. That flexibility is central to its military value.

Several capabilities make this possible. Aerial refuelling extends operational reach. Long-range weapons allow aircraft to affect distant targets. Networked sensors improve awareness across sectors, while appropriate basing supports operations from different locations. Together, these tools let aircraft contribute beyond their original operating area.

Singh therefore rejects treating fighters as permanently attached to one command. He supports centralised allocation when resources must be concentrated and decentralised execution when local commanders need speed. This approach is intended to preserve flexibility within an integrated structure designed for India’s specific security environment.

Operation Sindoor provided the article’s clearest example of why flexible resource control matters. It was conducted under a joint architecture established by the Chief of Defence Staff and the three service chiefs. The structure coordinated the services instead of treating each one as an isolated organisation.

Its key mechanism was centralised allocation followed by timely reallocation of critical assets. Resources could be assigned according to the operation’s needs and shifted quickly as circumstances changed. The Air Chief Marshal said this process proved decisive in the outcome.

The example supports the IAF’s preferred approach to theaterisation. Air power should remain available for concentration across sectors, while execution can be handled with agility on the ground. Singh used the operation to argue for joint structures that retain central coordination without permanently locking fighter assets into geographical commands.

Speed, reach, flexibility, and rapid concentration let air power influence events across a wide area. Aircraft can respond faster than many other forces, operate over distance, and change missions as threats develop. They can also bring substantial combat strength to the place that matters most.

The article links these advantages to practical capabilities. Aerial refuelling extends reach. Long-range weapons allow effects at distance. Networked sensors improve connections and awareness, while suitable basing supports operations from multiple locations. These features make it possible to mass aircraft without relying only on nearby forces.

For this reason, Singh says air power can decisively shape military outcomes. Its organisation matters as much as its equipment. A structure that keeps control flexible can concentrate power quickly, while decentralised execution allows commanders to act swiftly. Permanent geographic division could undermine that combination.