Tread Warily on Maritime Theatre Command

Context: Integrating and restructuring of India’s security ecosystem through Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and proposed theaterisation/Maritime Theatre Command (MTC) would enhance India’s maritime power.

Significance of Proposed Maritime Theaterisation for India

• Enhance sea lines of communication: during peace and war on account of India’s strategic location as a virtual fulcrum power between Mediterranean and South China seas.
• Ensure power projection matrix: in the region as also to maintain good relations with other seafaring nations such as Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.
• Coordinate strategic posture: meaningfully with other littoral states such as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Madagascar, Iran and Oman.
• Suggested by various committees: The K Subramanyam and Naresh Chandra Committee recommended theaterisation and induction of Chief of Defence Staff.
• Address Pakistani and Chinese threat: The Indian Armed Forces Joint Doctrine Manual 2017 talks about theaterisation of the military, to deal with the threat from Pakistan and China.
  • It includes creation of the then Peninsular Theatre Command and now the MTC, an Air Defence Command under the IAF’s aegis and three Army Theatre Commands — west, north and east.
• Expected reduction in the role of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): to raising, training and sustaining Navy due to the proposed merger of its Western and Eastern Commands and need of reporting to MTC.

Way Forward

• Retain influence in defined strategic space: by enhancing the ability for the overseas deployment of military for political intervention or evacuation.
  • For E.g. evacuations from Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the Middle East during the Covid-19.
• Ensure readiness for theaterisation in a phased manner: after more of wargaming, think tank inputs and hands-on experience through international exercises and first focus on low hanging fruits like-
  • Integration of Ministry of Defence and service headquarters, defence manufacturing, tri-service logistics, communications and procurements.
  • Integration of commands for special forces, space and logistic for achieving effectively integrated war-fighting in subcontinental context.

Conclusion: Organisational change such as theaterisation, must not compromise India’s war-fighting efficacy and volatile security situation.