AP Singh outlined a three‑tier theatre structure—Northern in Lucknow, Western in Jaipur, Maritime in Thiruvananthapuram—designed to integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force, a reform first flagged in 2019 to boost jointness.
The chief cited Operation Sindoor, a 2021 joint exercise, where centralised allocation of assets under the Chief of Defence Staff proved decisive, underscoring the value of a flexible, network‑centric approach.
Yet the proposal has stalled; the Air Force remains cautious about permanently splitting its fighter squadrons, and disagreements over command boundaries persist among the services. AP Singh warned that rushing the rollout could compromise operational readiness.
He stressed that theatreisation must be phased, with centralised control but decentralised execution, so that air power can be massed where needed while commanders retain agility on the ground. The first squadron of Dassault Rafales will be deployed under the Northern Theatre command once the structure is approved.
A review of the plan is scheduled for the end of Q2, after which the government will decide on implementation and set the timeline for the three new commands.