IDS to conduct crash course for senior military officers to boost jointness

This comes at a time when the armed forces are charting a path towards theaterisation, a long-awaited reform for the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars

The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), a single-point organisation for jointness under the defence ministry, will on Monday begin a five-day programme for senior military officers, with a focus on boosting jointness and integration among the armed forces, an essential prerequisite to the creation of theatre commands.

Jointmanship refers to a degree of co-ordination and integration in terms of strategy, capabilities and execution across the three services. (File Photo)

The programme, called Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE), is being conducted by IDS for the first time and has been conceptualised to prepare senior officers of the armed forces for leadership roles by honing their skills in strategic planning and to help them anticipate and prepare for future threats and conflicts, the defence ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The development comes at a time when the armed forces are charting a path towards theaterisation, a long-awaited reform for the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars.

The single-point organisation for jointmanship, headed by CISC (chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Commitee), integrates policy, doctrine, war-fighting and military purchases. Jointmanship refers to a degree of co-ordination and integration in terms of strategy, capabilities and execution across the three services. The CISC reports to the chief of defence staff (CDS) who is spearheading the theaterisation drive.

The development-cum-orientation programme, CORE, has been designed for two-star officers from the three services, as well as officials from the defence, external affairs and home ministries.

It aims to foster jointness and integration and enhance cooperation and coordination among the services to create a detailed understanding of the operational environment, the defence ministry said.

The programme is being conducted days after jointness came into sharp focus at the Joint Commanders’ Conference in Lucknow where defence minister Rajnath Singh made a firm push for cultivating a joint vision, preparing for future wars, and delivering a synergised, swift and proportionate response to provocations.

The military is ready with the blueprint of the theaterisation model and will present it to the government for final approval soon.

“The effective conduct of future wars will hinge on three vital elements: military leaders, combatants (man-machine interface) and support staff. The Indian armed forces are taking dynamic steps towards modernisation. It is imperative for future senior military leaders to stay abreast of changing geo-political dynamics and futuristic combat scenarios...to take comprehensive decisions,” the statement said.

The programme will involve panel discussions and lectures by 30 eminent speakers and subject matter experts from different fields. The topics will include the changing nature of warfare, globalisation and interconnectedness, lessons from ongoing global conflicts, impact of non-kinetic warfare, cyber and information warfare, and adoption of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems in the military.

In Lucknow, Singh drew the military’s attention to the ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Hamas, and the instability in Bangladesh. He asked the military leadership to analyse the troubling global developments, predict the challenges that India could face, and build capability and stay prepared to deal with the unexpected.

The minister emphasised the need for “a broader and deeper analysis” of security dynamics by the top military leadership in light of the situation along the country’s border with China and developments in the neighbouring countries, which threaten peace and stability in the region.

Speaking at the Lucknow conference, CDS General Anil Chauhan also made a pitch for jointness and integration for the military to adapt to the contours of future warfare.

The theaterisation model being pursued involves raising the China-centric northern theatre command in Lucknow, the Pakistan-centric western theatre command in Jaipur, and the maritime theatre command in Thiruvananthapuram.