Will India get a unified military command under the PMO?

There are increasing whispers that India might replicate the United States’ unified military command system, integrating the Army, Navy and Air Force under one chief, a decision that is bound to have far-reaching geostrategic and geopolitical implications.

Experts say this reform would amount to a major restructuring of the Indian Armed Forces, in terms of operational command systems. At present, the three defence services—Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy—are under the operational command of three different three-star officers. To pave the way for an officer from one single service to exercise direct command over all personnel belonging to all the three services, the Command Rules for the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force would have to be amended, new rules and orders would have to be notified.

The model for such a unified command system is the United States concept of 'Theatre Command', under which the resources of all the three forces will be placed at the command of one senior military commander.

Defence analysts say that such a move would be on the same pattern of how military commands operate not only in the United States but also in China, which made the change relatively recently.

Analysts are of the opinion that although it might appear to be a structural change for better coordination, in reality it will drastically alter the chain of command and have a profound impact on the functioning of the defence forces.

Under a single Armed Forces chief, there would be a direct single-point military advice pipeline to the government. In the American system, the President is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. In India, the powers will de facto come into the hands of the Prime Minister. The new system is expected to create a direct channel from the Chief of Defence Staff to the Prime Minister, with the Defence Minister’s role limited to an extent.

The changes have reportedly been on the drawing board ever since the Kargil Review Committee under K Subramanyam and the GoM on national security in 2001. Recommendations were also under consideration to introduce new positions of Chief of Defence Staff and Vice Chief of Defence Staff to strengthen the defence forces.

Some analysts say any such move by India should be seen in context of recent developments in China and Russia, where President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin have consolidated their personal hold on power to unprecedented levels.