The process of “integration and modernisation of the tri-services” was initiated with the creation of the post of CDS and the department of military affairs, and it will be carried forward to achieve the goals as early as possible, Rajnath said.

Integration of the armed forces to enhance their effectiveness and reshape the conduct of future operations will progress seamlessly, defence minister Rajnath Singh said.

Integration of the armed forces to enhance their effectiveness and reshape the conduct of future operations will progress seamlessly, and achieving this target will be a top priority for the government, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday, while paying tribute to India’s first chief of defence staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 12 others killed last week in a chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

Rawat was spearheading the Theaterisation drive to best utilise the military’s resources for future wars and operations. The CDS’s shocking demise is likely to have implications for the military reforms, and the government will have to move swiftly to announce a succession plan, officials said. Singh’s comments indicate the current vacuum created by Rawat’s death will not hit India’s Theaterisation plans.

The process of “integration and modernisation of the tri-services” was initiated with the creation of the post of CDS and the department of military affairs, and it will be carried forward to achieve the goals as early as possible, the defence minister said.

Rawat took over as CDS on December 31, 2019, after serving as army chief for a full three-year term. He held the four-star rank for almost five years, making him the longest serving four-star general in India. As CDS, he wore multiple hats. He was the permanent chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, headed the department of military affairs, and was the single-point military adviser to the defence minister.

In November, Rawat asked the three services to expedite their studies on the creation of theatre commands and submit comprehensive reports within six months. The deadline for submitting the reports was advanced from September 2022 to April 2022. The current Theaterisation model to enhance tri-service synergy seeks to set up four integrated commands – two land-centric theatres, an air defence command, and a maritime theatre command.

All eyes are now on who will be appointed as Rawat’s successor at a time when the Theaterisation plan is at a critical juncture and needs a man with vision to carry it forward.

Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane became the senior-most military officer in the country after Rawat’s demise. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar are both around two years junior to him.