IAF Chief Strongly Opposes Theatre Command Model Which Relegates Air Force To Subordinate Role

Vishal Thapar Oct 05, 2022

The Indian Air Force (IAF) leadership has once again publicly expressed strong reservations against restructuring of the armed forces under a Threatre-isation model which relegates the Air Force to a subordinate and defensive role.

“The doctrinal aspects of the Air Force should not be compromised in any way by the new structures,” Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari cautioned at the annual press conference in New Delhi ahead of Air Force Day on October 8.

This caveat was reiterated within days of General Anil Chauhan taking over as the second Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The agenda for the restructuring of the armed forces under Theatre Commands which had gone dormant after the death of the first CDS, General Bipin Rawat in December 2021, is once again expected to gain momentum.

A restructuring plan mooted – but not approved - during the tenure of General Rawat gave primacy to the Indian Army in leading commanding combat elements of the armed forces in the proposed Northern and Western Theatres. The Indian Navy was to lead the Maritime or Peninsular Command. An Air Defence Command under the IAF’s leadership was also proposed alongside.

Although his comments over a period of time indicated an evolution in his plans, General Rawat was quoted terming the Air Force as a “support arm”, which greatly riled the IAF.

The doctrine of the IAF reflects its understanding of air power as the primary factor which shapes the battlefield through its offensive capability and the force best equipped and oriented to carry out stand-off attacks for strategic impact.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari also sought expansion of the IAF’s mandate to an Air and Space Force. “We see space as a natural extension of the air medium and we understand the need for exploiting this domain to the nation’s advantage. Space-based assets significantly enhance the potency of air power and, therefore, our strategy is to fully integrate our air and space capabilities to have a common picture of the aerospace medium and to enable optimum force application,” he said.

The Air Chief qualified his reservations by stating that the IAF was not per se opposed to creation of Theatre Commands. “It is only (in) the methodology and the kind of structures which need to be future- ready to cater for cyber and space (challenges), shorter decision making, reduction in layers of command and control and synergisation of core competencies,” he elaborated.

The big caveat was that “the doctrinal aspects of the Air Force should not be compromised in any way by the new structures”, that is, its role should not be dilute or relegated.

“Air power has the unique capacity of undertaking independent strategic operations as well as operations coordinated with sister services. We understand the imperatives of joint planning and execution in future wars and are keen on integrating the efforts of the sister services. We believe that the model of integration that…. is best suited to Indian conditions and our geopolitical imperatives. We have recently updated and revised the doctrine of the IAF to keep it relevant,” the Air Chief Marshal said in his opening remarks.

“The next step would be to use our doctrines and well-trained manpower to evolve deployment philosophies and concept of operations. This will require joint planning and joint execution of plans. No single service can win wars on its own,” he said.

Responding to a question on whether the IAF would be able to take leadership of a Theatre command, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari responded with an emphatic “Yes!”. “The idea is to have joint planning forces and we’re very capable,” he said.