China changed how its military would fight by 2016. India, facing China and Pakistan, is still reshaping how its Army, Navy and Air Force would command a war. The gap is not simply about speed. It shows how hard it is to move from three service-led systems to one joint plan. India’s theatre command reform aims to place forces from all three services under commanders responsible for defined regions.
China moved first
China changed its military regions with five theatre commands in February 2016. Further reforms consolidated command of the theatre forces and delegated command to services for building and equipping forces. To improve the PLA’s joint operations, in land, sea and air.
India’s plan is still taking shape
India hasn’t been idle. In December 2019, the Government approved the establishment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Department of Military Affairs to ensure better coordination between the services. But full theatre commands are a much more significant change. India currently has seven commands in the Army, seven commands in the Air Force, three commands in the Navy and two tri-service commands. The new plan would restructure the control of operations over these structures.
The CDS proposed in July 2026 to the Defence Ministry setting up a defence command with three commands (western, northern and maritime). It will still require additional government permits. Logistics systems are also being joined up, whilst a common tri-service inventory application and common supply arrangements are being developed.
Why has it taken so long?
First, the services have not always agreed on the design. The Air Force has warned that splitting its limited aircraft and other assets between regional commands could reduce flexibility. Air power may be needed across a wide area, not just inside one sector. The services have also debated who should control operations and how commanders should report.
Second, India has reviewed the structure several times rather than simply copy another country’s model. The original plan changed after objections and further studies; the death of India’s first CDS, General Bipin Rawat, in 2021 also interrupted the push. These decisions affect command authority, training, logistics and scarce equipment—not just office charts.
The real test is joint action
China’s early move offers a warning, not a blueprint. India needs commands that fit its geography, two-front risks and maritime needs. The goal is not to announce a new structure; it is to make intelligence, aircraft, ships, soldiers and supplies work as one force during a crisis. Progress must be visible in shared planning, exercises and logistics and the final design must improve combat power, not merely change who gives orders.
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