Overview
- The Chief of Defence Staff has sent a formal proposal to the defence minister to create integrated theatre commands, a move that follows years of joint planning by the Army, Navy and Air Force.
- The plan outlines three geographic commands focused on Pakistan, China and the seas, with leadership drawn from the Air Force for the western theatre, the Army for the northern theatre and the Navy for the maritime theatre.
- Sources told ThePrint the initial phase could appoint three-star theatre commanders to build shared systems and procedures, with a Vice‑CDS serving as the main operational authority and the CDS post rotating across the services over time.
- The division of scarce air power remains central, with reporting indicating a model that keeps refuellers, airborne warning aircraft, transports and other strategic air assets under Air Headquarters while allocating other air assets to the theatres.
- A Joint Commanders Conference in early May is expected to refine timelines and implementation, and officials say early appointments will be staggered and administrative so units keep current chains of command during the transition.