A five-day Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) will start soon to build jointness and integration amongst the armed forces, which is crucial before establishing theatre commands. Dubbed the Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE), this is designed to fine-tune the senior military officers’ strategic skills to effectively serve as leaders.
The program involves officers of the second star rank from the army, navy, and Air force and officials from the defense, external affairs, and home ministry. Its purpose is to enhance everyone’s comprehension of the operational environment and cooperation between the services.
This comes after recent deliberations held during the Joint Commanders conference in Lucknow, during which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged joint planning and operation of the Indian military. The armed forces are transitioning towards theorization, a process that seeks to prepare for future wars with available force structures.
The CORE program will include thirty key speakers who will give lectures about such topics as the change of warfare, cyber threats, and AI integration. Singh has called on military chiefs to consider world affairs and be watchful of the stability of a certain region, particularly China. Some of the basic commands envisaged under the proposed theatreisation model are those dealing with China, Pakistan, and the naval domain.
