Govt. notifies rules enabling greater ‘jointness’, command efficiency in armed forces, Pg5

Key Highlights:

• Government notifies rules under Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023, in force from May 27, 2025.
• The Act empowers Commanders-in-Chief and Officers-in-Command of Inter-Services Organisations (ISOs) to maintain discipline and control.
• The Act does not alter individual service conditions of Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel.
• Rules framed under Section 11 lay down mechanisms for discipline, administrative control, and operational synergy.
• Aims to enhance jointness among armed forces in line with broader military reforms.
• Follows earlier reform: creation of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post in 2019 to ensure tri-service coordination.

Detailed Insights:

• The Act is a key reform to promote integration among armed services, vital for modern warfare that demands multi-domain coordination.
• ISOs include institutions like Andaman and Nicobar Command, Defence Cyber Agency, Strategic Forces Command, etc.
• Ensures unified command without compromising the functional autonomy of each service.
• Establishes a legal framework for command authority, reducing ambiguity in tri-service commands.
• Enhances India's preparedness for joint military operations, especially amid growing regional security challenges.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Jointness: Integration of operations, logistics, and training across armed services to act as a single cohesive force.
• Inter-Services Organisations (ISOs): Military institutions where personnel from more than one service operate under a unified command.
• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): Senior-most military officer tasked with promoting jointness and advising the government on defence policy.

Mains Mock Question:

Examine the significance of the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023 in enhancing jointness among the Indian Armed Forces. What challenges remain in operationalising full tri-service integration?