The first-ever tri-service armed forces planning conference called' Parivartan Chintan’ was held in New Delhi on 8 April 2024. The conference was organised by the Union Ministry of Defence. The meeting of the chief of the three armed forces, the Army, Navy and Air Force, was held in the background of the attempt in the country to set up a unified, integrated theatre command, combining all the three wings of the armed forces.

Who Participated in the Tri-Service Planning Conference

Chief of the Indian Army General Manoj Pande, Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhary of the Indian Air Force and Admiral R.Hari Kumar of the Indian Navy represented the three services. The meeting was also attended by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). The DMA is a department within the Defence Ministry which manages military matters.

Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and officers of the three armed forces wings, which have specialised understanding and experience in the field were also present at the conference.

Chairman of the Tri-Service Planning Conference

The first tri-service planning conference was chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan.

Aim of the Tri-Service Planning Conference

According to the Ministry of Defence, the aim of the first-ever tri-service planning conference was to generate new ideas, initiatives, and reforms to advance jointness and integration efforts among the armed forces. The conference aimed to further the transformative changes in the armed forces, strengthen their quest to be ready for future wars and enable tri-service, multi-domain operations.

What is a Theatre Command?

In the military, theatre means a specific geographical location, which could be on land, air or sea. These identified areas are or could become areas of conflict in the future.

The Lt. Gen (Retd) DB Shekatkar committee, set up by the Union Defence Ministry in 2015, recommended setting up an integrated tri-service command in India.

In India, there are 19 commands of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Only two commands, the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Strategic Forces Command, which is in charge of the country's nuclear weapons, function as tri-service commands.

The Government of India is trying to set up an integrated theatre command, which will combine the separate commands of the Army, Navy, and Air Force under a single command. A single integrated command is expected to enable the military to combine resources and optimally use them for offensive and defensive operations.

The theatre system will provide India with an integrated warfighting capacity that can deter threats while also reducing operational costs.

Traditionally, tri-service commanders’ conferences are held yearly at one of the services’ command headquarters. The armed forces chief reviews the geopolitical situation and discusses steps to improve the operational preparedness of the forces. They also discuss steps to be taken to ensure the integrity of our borders and combat the merging threats.