Why India needs air power before theatre commands

Air Cmde T.K. Chatterjee (retd)

There is a story about a river. It began in the mountains as a small stream, flowed through rugged terrain, grew stronger in the plains, and expanded into a mighty river. It supported agriculture, generated power, and nurtured civilisation along its fertile banks. Finally, it reached the land’s end, facing the sea. The river became afraid. There was no way to turn back, and moving forward meant merging with the sea and losing its identity. The sea, seeing the river’s dilemma, said: ‘Come to the sea, and you will become more powerful as part of the mighty ocean.’

Recent articles about the creation of theatre commands in India reminded me of the story of the river. The Indian Army and the Indian Navy are keen to absorb the Indian Air Force (IAF) into their orbats, just as the sea beckons the river. It is no coincidence that all articles supporting the creation of Theatre Commands are written by veterans of the army or the navy. The reason is straightforward. Army generals are planned to command all land-based theatres, and the maritime theatre will obviously be commanded by an admiral. All of them will have an ‘air component’ headed by an air force officer, subordinated to them. Hence, the eagerness of the Indian Army (IA) and the Indian Navy (IN) to get the theatre commands activated at the earliest. The problem is that land/maritime theatres will prioritise ground/naval objectives; air power risks subordination. Indeed, there will be an Air Defence Command under an air force officer, which will keep the skies over land and maritime theatres safe. 

One author (ex IN) in a recent article quotes RAND analyst Carl H. Builder and Harvard professor Stephen Peter Rosen to say that air forces worldwide suffer from ‘professional sociocentrism’ derived from technology, precision, and speed. He counters an article (by an ex-IAF veteran) that argues jointness does not require integration, because jointness means everyone is on the same page pursuing a common goal. In contrast, integration