Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh, on Tuesday praised the high degree of synergy achieved during Operation Sindoor, crediting the tri-service coordination overseen by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan. At the same time, he urged caution against rushing into creating theatre commands, warning that hasty structural changes could disrupt operational efficiency.
Speaking at the inaugural tri-service seminar RAN Samwad-2025 at the Army War College, Madhya Pradesh, the Air Chief proposed the establishment of a joint planning and coordination centre in New Delhi, comprising the three service chiefs and the CDS. He emphasised that such a hub could serve as the apex body for decision-making, ensuring jointness while avoiding unnecessary structural upheaval.
Lessons from Operation Sindoor
Reflecting on Operation Sindoor, conducted in early May 2025, Air Chief Marshal Singh said the armed forces moved away from working in silos, instead operating in a tightly coordinated manner. He noted that General Chauhan played a “very big role” in orchestrating the services’ alignment, preventing operational gaps and boosting mission success.
“The CDS was orchestrating things with all of us together. Some minor issues that were found during execution are being sorted out. So, I feel that having joint planning and coordination at the apex level is what is required,” Singh remarked.
Stepwise Approach to Theatreisation
Addressing the contentious issue of theatre commands, the Air Chief cautioned against hurriedly restructuring India’s defence architecture. He stressed the need to avoid extending the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) through excessive bureaucracy.
“My approach and suggestion have been that let’s take a stepwise approach. Let’s not implement everything together in one go and shake up [things]. Let’s see how it benefits us,” he said, adding that India should not replicate foreign models, including those of the United States, but should evolve a framework suited to its unique requirements.
Preparing for Tomorrow’s Wars
While calling Operation Sindoor “yesterday’s war,” Singh highlighted the need for India to focus on preparing for future conflicts driven by new technologies and hybrid threats. He underlined the importance of centralised decision-making with decentralised execution, which the proposed joint planning hub could deliver.
Theatreisation, once implemented, would integrate the Army, Navy, and Air Force into unified structures to counter external threats. Current proposals reportedly include two land-based theatre commands for Pakistan and China, and one maritime command. However, Singh warned that premature implementation could undermine operational effectiveness rather than strengthen it.
The Air Chief’s remarks come at a critical juncture, as India weighs structural defence reforms in the aftermath of successful joint operations like Operation Sindoor, which demonstrated the potential of coordinated tri-service action.
