India's first batch of 40 "Purple Officers" completed their training at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington, Tamil Nadu, marking a significant step toward integrating the armed forces.

These officers, drawn from the Army (20), Navy (10), and Air Force (10), along with four officers from the United States, South Korea, Britain, and Australia, underwent specialised training focused on joint operations, logistics, intelligence, and cybersecurity. Their curriculum included visits to key commands such as the Andaman and Nicobar Command and Integrated Defence Staff in New Delhi.

The term "Purple Officers" symbolises the blending of service-specific colours—green for the Army, blue for the Navy, and sky blue for the Air Force—to represent jointness.

This initiative aligns with India's broader military reforms aimed at establishing integrated theatre commands and enhancing operational synergy among the services.

While these officers will initially take up traditional appointments due to the absence of fully integrated structures, their training represents foundational progress toward achieving jointness in India's defence apparatus.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan highlighted the importance of this milestone during the graduation ceremony. The initiative is part of ongoing reforms under General Chauhan's leadership, including efforts to build a culture of jointness termed "Jointness 2.0".

Agencies