India Gets Closer Towards Theaterisation As Army, IAF Display Synergy

The Indian Army in a first joined hands with the Indian Air Force's Dhruva Command in a mission to airdrop weightlifting loads to forces deployed at the border. This is a significant leap forward in the theaterisation plans of the Armed Forces.

Sharing details of the operation, the Army's Northern Command said, "the air maintenance team of Dhruva Command successfully carried out maiden airdrops of war fighting loads by AN-32 aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) in support of Mechanised Forces on Western Borders."

The AN-32 is an aircraft used by the IAF for troop transport, cargo delivery and airdrops. The IAF regularly conducts airdrop operations and exercises to enhance its operational capabilities.

The successful completion of the operation also signals the seamless integration of the operational capabilities of the two services of the Indian military. It is also a milestone in the country's most ambitious project which is the creation of an integrated theatre command.

The integrated theatre commands are the war-fighting entities which comprise the Army, Navy and IAF. They would fight jointly on both borders and also focus on cyber-warfare.

The Indian Army currently functions under 17 single service commands. It has eight commands to manage the China front as against a single theatre command of the Chinese military which is responsible for the borders with India.

This proposal had cropped up following the 1999 Kargil war. The project never took off owing to fears that it would result in an ugly face-off between the three forces.