First signs of integration, Army officers cross-posted to IAF, Navy missile units

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, May 28

In another step towards integrating the three armed forces at the cutting-edge level, Army officers have been cross-posted to Indian Air Force (IAF) and Navy units having common weaponry.

Orders were issued last week to post Army officers to BrahMos missile units of the IAF and Navy (on warships). The orders were for officers at the level of Major and Captain in the Regiment of Artillery, which operates BrahMos. “These are among the first steps towards the creation of joint fighting forces,” an official said. All the three services operate BrahMos, the country’s premier missile that can travel at hypersonic speed to a distance in excess of 400 km.

The Air Force has ground-based BrahMos units while Sukhoi 30-MKI fighter jets too have been modified to carry the missile.

Sources said the cross-posting could extend to other common-use platforms such as air defence system ‘Akash’ and at some stage to UAVs and helicopters. The three services have common machines like advanced light helicopters (ALH) and Chinook helicopters. The IAF already has Chinook helicopters while Army Aviation has placed orders for these.

General Bipin Rawat, the previous Chief of Defence Staff, had laid out a plan that spoke of integrating the war-fighting units of the forces at the level of Major and Captain and then moving it upwards.

In the recent past, two new divisions—Defence Space Agency and Defence Cyber Agency—were created as tri-service organisations and have cross-posting of officers from all the three services.

In special operations, Garuda commandos of the IAF get to work along Army units. Navy marine commandos called Marcos operate in Kashmir valley and were among the forces tasked with security at the G20 event in Srinagar on May 22.

At present, the tri-service organisations include the Andaman and Nicobar Command, Strategic Forces Command and the Department of Military Affairs—led by the Chief of Defence Staff. In March, the Ministry of Defence moved a Bill in Parliament to provide disciplinary powers to the Commander heading tri-service organisations. This implies that once the Bill is passed, all personnel serving in tri-service organisations will be governed by the commander of the organisation for the maintenance of discipline.

Officers and other personnel posted to tri-service organisations currently face disciplinary proceedings, if any, under their respective service Acts governing the IAF, Army and the Navy, which can vary in terms of quantum of punishment. Also, the tri-service commander has no role in administration of justice against any of his subordinates. The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023, is a long-awaited reform, especially after the appointment the CDS.

Majors, Captains in initial phase

• Officers at the level of Major and Captain cross-posted in units operating BrahMos
• Cross-posting could soon extend to other common-use platforms such as air defence system, UAVs, helicopters
• Tri-services also have common machines like the advanced light helicopters and Chinook helicopters