India Launches Joint Military Stations, Unifies Defence Education Wings
India is set to implement significant reforms within its Armed Forces with the establishment of its first joint military stations and the consolidation of the educational branches of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a unified Tri-Services Education Corps. This decision was unveiled at the conclusion of the Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) 2025 in Kolkata, attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, the three service chiefs, and top military commanders.
Defence sources revealed that three joint military stations will be created, although the specific locations remain undetermined. Major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Gwalior, Pune, and Secunderabad are being considered. These joint stations will integrate resources from all three services, such as logistics, repair and maintenance, stores, and infrastructure, under the leadership of a designated service. Mumbai is a potential site that might have the Navy as its lead service.
This initiative is aimed at optimizing manpower and reducing resource duplication, potentially strengthening joint operations. It also serves as a pilot for the broader initiative of establishing integrated theatre commands.
Another significant reform involves the merging of the educational branches of the three services into a Tri-Services Education Corps. This move is expected to streamline training and education, enhance integration across the services, and efficiently manage manpower and administrative resources.
These new measures align with the ongoing discussion around theaterisation, which aims to create unified theatre commands for specific regions. The Army and Navy support this concept, whereas the Indian Air Force has expressed concerns over the potential division of its combat assets. Last month, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh advised a cautious approach to theaterisation, proposing the establishment of a Joint Planning and Coordination Centre in Delhi as a preliminary step. In contrast, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi have asserted that theaterisation is inevitable.
According to a government statement, the final day of CCC 2025 focused on emerging threats, technology-driven warfare, and structural reforms. The Chief of Defence Staff provided a comprehensive review of the “year of reforms,” presenting action plans in line with directives from the Prime Minister and Defence Minister. Discussions underscored enhancing jointness and interoperability, streamlining decision-making, reforming structures for space, cyber, information, and special operations, and promoting a technology-led approach to modern warfare. CCC 2025 has been described as a pivotal step in transforming the Armed Forces into an integrated, technologically advanced, and operationally agile force, capable of addressing multi-domain threats, safeguarding national interests, and contributing to global peace and stability.
