“Operation Sindoor…” if necessary; Army chief Upendra Dwivedi’s direct warning to enemy nations

Indian Army ready for Operation Sindoor 2.0
Implementation of ‘Theater Command’ in two to three years
A new structure for joint operations of the three armies

Pune/Sunayana Sonwane: In all three armies (Operation Sindoor) The process of setting up a ‘Theater Command’ proposed for more effective coordination has reached the final stage, and a detailed report in this regard has been submitted to the Defense Minister. It is being reviewed at various levels and it is believed that in the next two to three years the ‘theater command’ will be actually implemented in the country army chief General Upendra Dwivedi expressed.

He was speaking at a press conference organized after the convocation of the 150th batch of National Defense Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla on Saturday (30 hrs). Chief of South Headquarters Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, Commandant of NDA Vice Admiral Anil Jaggi and Deputy Commandant Air Vice Marshal Rajesh Verma were present on this occasion.

Dwivedi said that all discussions regarding ‘theatrisation’ have been completed in the ‘Chiefs of Staff Committee’. Under the new system, the army chiefs will be responsible for troop building, training and capacity building, while theater commanders will lead actual military operations and joint missions. This proposal has been prepared considering the interests of all the three parties, and for more coordination, a compromise position will have to be taken to some extent.

Talking about ‘Operation Sindoor’, he explained that although there is a ceasefire at present, this operation is not over. Indian Army, Navy and Air Force are fully prepared for ‘Operation Sindoor 2.0’ if required. He said that the modern battlefield has become more transparent, and since it is possible to closely monitor every movement, special vigilance is being taken regarding the deployment of jawans and the security of border civilians.

Emphasis on modernization of the military

Dwivedi mentioned that the future war will not only be limited to land, sea and air space, but space, cyber and ‘cognitive warfare’ will also be important battlefields. He informed that the work of setting up new technology-based formations like ‘Ashni Drone Battalions’, ‘Divyastra Battery’, ‘Shaktiman Regiments’ and ‘Bhairav ​​Battalions’ is underway. He said the emphasis is on transforming indigenous technology into war-ready capabilities in collaboration with DRDO, industry, startups and academia.

Referring to the changing needs of war, he introduced the concept of ‘a drone for every soldier’. He said that in the future, every soldier will be required to handle drones, operate them and use anti-drone technology. For this, drone training has also been included in the NDA curriculum.

Increasing role of women in national security –

Dwivedi said that increasing participation of women in national security is an important face of a changing India. He mentioned that the work of the army is not limited to war but also plays an important role in border security, disaster management, assistance to citizens in remote areas and social development through the ‘Army Goodwill School’.

What is ‘theater command’?

The concept of setting up an integrated command system for joint operations of the Army, Navy and Air Force is ‘Theater Command’. In this arrangement, the manpower, weapons, communication, transport, logistics and maintenance of the three forces will be planned together. Each theater command will be responsible for the defense of a specific geographic area, which is expected to make wartime decision-making and action faster and more effective.