Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan explained the upcoming restructuring of the Indian armed forces into Integrated Theatre Commands (ITC) in his new book.
Theatre commanders will handle operational duties
Service chiefs will manage Raise, Train, and Sustain (RTS) — meaning recruitment, training, and maintenance of the forces.
This creates two parallel roles:
Force Application = Theatre Commanders
Force Generation = Service Chiefs
The aim is to improve coordination and make the best use of resources across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The ITC structure is a major part of ongoing military reforms and considered one of the most revolutionary changes since independence.
A high level of jointness (coordination and cooperation among the three services) is necessary for ITC to work effectively.
This change will lead to cultural and structural shifts, affecting all levels from top headquarters to lower units.
Accepting and adapting to this transformation will take time and awareness among all ranks.
One of the main responsibilities of the CDS is to drive this integration and reorganisation of India’s armed forces.
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