India behind other countries in joint ops: Former Army chief

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 7

Former Chief of the Indian Army, General Deepak Kapoor (retd) said India was falling behind other countries in embracing joint operations for the armed forces.

He gave the example of China, saying it has one single command that faces India along the 3,488 km of Line of Actual Control (LAC). “On the other hand, India has seven commands—four of the Army and three of the IAF – facing China, said General Kapoor, adding that US, Russia, France and UK have done it long back. The Andaman Nicobar Command is an example of joint command on our side.”

He was speaking at a web-seminar “Joint warfare by Indian armed forces” organised by the Amity University late on Friday. The Amity Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies led by its Director General, Lt Gen (Dr) SK Gadeock (retd) had organised the discussion.

Lt Gen KM Seth (retd), a former Governor Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura, said the proposed creation of theatre commands would require change in collective mindset of the forces.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (retd), former Chief of the IAF, narrated how difficult it was to operate in Ladakh. He spoke the employment of air power for conflict along the LAC in conflict like intelligence gathering and deploying the Army.

Dr W Selavmurthy, former Chief Controller, Research & Development DRDO and now the Chancellor of Amity University Chhattisgarh, said the concept of conducting this strategic seminar was of Dr Ashok K. Chauhan, founder President of Amity Education Group.

Webinar comprised of two-panel discussions, with the first one focused on examining the critical issues pertinent to Joint Army and Air Force Operations in an evolving scenario related to Ladakh in the Northern Region and the second one related to integrated Tri-services Joint Operations in western front in the Rann of Kutch and the Arabian Sea.

Joint operations doctrine and developing a strategic response matrix to India’s national security challenges, was discussed.

Former Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan (Retd) spoke on the ‘Synergy of Force Multipliers in Joint Warfare’.