Army readies blueprint for a ‘year of reforms’
The Indian Army has prepared a blueprint for the goals it will pursue in 2025 in line with it being declared the “year of reforms”.
The Indian Army has prepared a blueprint for the goals it will pursue in 2025 in line with it being declared the “year of reforms” by defence minister Rajnath Singh on January 1, with the force focusing on five key areas: jointness and integration, force restructuring, modernisation and technology infusion, systems and processes, and human resource management, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
The setting up of integrated theatre commands for the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars, a focus on new domains such as cyber and space, and simpler weapons buying procedures are among the specific interventions identified by the defence ministry. The aim is to modernise the armed forces to tackle new challenges.
Declaring 2025 as the year of reforms signals a decisive shift towards a more agile, technologically advanced, and combat ready military, said one of the persons cited above.
The declaration aims at transforming India’s defence apparatus into a 21st-century powerhouse capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, he said. “The army has swiftly aligned its transformative initiatives with this roadmap to chart its course towards a future ready army,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
To be sure, the “year of reforms” comes on the back of the army’s ”year of transformation” (2023) and ”year of technology absorption” (2024). Acknowledging the long gestation period required for meaningful change, the army has already identified 2023 to 2032 as the “decade of transformation”.
The announcement of 2025 as the “year of reforms” will give strategic direction and impetus to the long-term initiative, said a second person.
Proactive steps are being taken to facilitate the seamless roll-out of integrated theatre commands and initiatives such as joint doctrines, shared tactics, and cross-service staffing between the army, navy, and air force, this person added.
The development comes at a time when the armed forces are charting a path towards theaterisation, a long-awaited military reform.
The theaterisation model being pursued involves raising the China-centric northern theatre command in Lucknow, the Pakistan-centric western theatre command in Jaipur, and the maritime theatre command in Thiruvananthapuram.
“The integration of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and inter-ministerial postings are further enhancing interoperability, creating an ecosystem of shared understanding, synchronised capability development, and operational efficiency,” he said.
The army is resolute in its focus on harnessing indigenous solutions in artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonic technology, and robotics to bolster its capabilities, said the first person. “The creation of specialised units to leverage niche technologies and newer domains is under active consideration, with existing structures being revamped to facilitate combined arms operations in a multi-domain environment,” he added.
The army is undertaking a comprehensive review of legacy practices and structures to enhance operational efficiency, and procurement procedures are being streamlined in coordination with stakeholders to ensure reduced timelines and greater alignment with the technology curve, enabling faster and more effective acquisition of critical assets, the people said.
The other areas identified for focused intervention include developing a shared understanding of operational requirements and joint operational capabilities through inter-service cooperation and training, facilitating technology transfer and knowledge sharing between the defence sector and the civil industry, and positioning India as a credible exporter of defence products.
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