General Anil Chauhan has unveiled the Joint Air Defence Doctrine, a landmark step in India’s military modernisation.

It establishes a unified framework for multi-layered air defence, enhancing integration among the Army, Navy and Air Force, while aligning with recent doctrinal advances in joint operations.

The Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan formally released the Joint Air Defence Doctrine in New Delhi, marking a decisive stride towards greater synergy and operational preparedness across the three services.

The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff announced the development on X, describing it as a significant milestone in India’s defence evolution. The doctrine is designed to strengthen India’s multi-layered air defence capability, ensuring readiness in an increasingly complex battlefield environment.

This doctrine builds upon earlier initiatives by General Chauhan. In August 2025, he had introduced two landmark publications: the Joint Doctrine for Special Forces Operations and the Joint Doctrine for Airborne and Heliborne Operations.

Both were unveiled during ‘Ran Samwad’, a tri-service seminar at the Army War College in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. Together, these doctrinal advances reflect a consistent push towards jointness and integrated warfighting.

The Joint Air Defence Doctrine is particularly significant as it seeks to weave together operations and readiness into a cohesive framework. It emphasises the need for a joint culture among the Armed Forces, ensuring that air defence assets across services are coordinated seamlessly.

This approach is intended to counter evolving threats, including stand-off weapons, drones, and hypersonic systems, which demand rapid sensor-to-shooter linkages and unified command structures.

Recent exercises such as the All Domain Joint Operations (ADJO) Conclave hosted by Western Air Command earlier this year highlighted the importance of integrated warfighting. Senior officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Defence Space Agency and Defence Intelligence Agency stressed the need for domain-agnostic decision-making, interoperability, and coherent responses to capability gaps. 

Lessons from Operation Sindoor were also cited, underscoring the pivotal role of air power in generating decisive strategic effects and the necessity of synchronising surface manoeuvre with offensive air operations.

The doctrine thus represents not only a doctrinal evolution but also a practical response to India’s operational realities. It aims to institutionalise joint mechanisms for planning, intelligence sharing, and capability prioritisation. By aligning tri-service resources and advancing all-domain integration, the doctrine seeks to deliver unified operational outcomes and sustained strategic readiness.

General Chauhan’s emphasis on building a joint culture reflects his broader vision of Theaterisation, where India’s armed forces are gradually restructured into integrated theatre commands.

The Joint Air Defence Doctrine is a cornerstone of this transformation, ensuring that India’s air defence shield is robust, layered, and capable of addressing both continental and maritime challenges.

The release of this doctrine signals India’s determination to adapt to future warfare, where multi-domain integration and rapid response will be critical. It also underscores the role of doctrinal innovation in driving military modernisation and self-reliance, aligning with India’s broader strategic objectives.

PTI