Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan reinforced the Indian military’s emphasis on jointness and integration among its three services at the 2025 Indian Military Heritage Festival, hosted by USI in New Delhi.

General Chauhan clarified that while jointness is central to defence reforms, each service will retain its individual identity, and integration will build upon their strongest practices, not simply aim for a lowest common denominator approach.

The drive, he noted, is to harness the “highest common factor” from each service to shape a cohesive, future-ready force. During his remarks, Gen Chauhan cited the recent Operation Sindoor as an exemplary instance of seamless inter-service cooperation between the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

During the post-Pahalgam terror attack period (April 22–May 7), joint planning and logistics were visible in the rapid movement of military assets to the western front, particularly by air. According to the CDS, these coordinated efforts were so well executed at the one-star officer level that even senior leadership did not need to intervene.

The Navy’s deployment of PALM 400 and PALM 120 long-range loiter munitions in cross-border strikes underscored the real-time use of integrated technologies. Headquarters IDS facilitated joint access to these platforms, enabling MARCOS to operate alongside Army and Air Force units on land missions.

General Chauhan also highlighted the joint deployment of common equipment like MRSAMs and BrahMos missiles, reflecting improved inventory management and system interoperability. He confirmed that the services are already communicating and sharing assets effectively, marking a significant step in the integration journey.

Looking ahead, CDS Chauhan advocated for developing a “joint culture” as planned under the theatreisation initiative. He explained that future joint or theatre headquarters would have common staffing, requiring standardised training—currently being advanced through a joint staff college curriculum.

The general underlined the value of understanding “human geography” alongside physical geography, particularly for cognitive warfare, psychological operations, and social engineering in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism contexts. He stressed the necessity of knowledge about local populations in modern conflict scenarios.

In discussing contemporary warfare, Gen Chauhan observed that the emergence of new domains—especially space—is redefining ways of creating war-winning asymmetries.

While traditional land, maritime, and air operations remain crucial but “bloody and difficult,” newer technological arenas promise smarter, faster, and more agile advantages. He projected that in future conflicts, dominance in space may precede and shape battles in other domains.

The festival itself was marked by the release of several significant defence publications and an art exhibition by Lt Col Arul Raj (Retd), alongside engagement from senior military leaders, diplomats, scholars, and the wider public.

This event showcased the evolving ethos of the Indian military—retaining distinct service identities while adopting best practices to forge an integrated, future-ready force. The drive towards jointness now shapes policy, training, and operational culture, with technology and cognitive strategies at its core.

Based On PTI Report