'Military jointness will need mindset change'

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said jointness in the military —a prerequisite to the creation of theatre commands — cannot be achieved through structural reforms alone but will also require a change in mindset and the challenges involved will have to be tackled through dialogue and understanding, stressing that tri-service integration is a must for survival in a fast-changing security environment.

- Rahul Singh

Defence minister Rajnath Singh with CDS General Anil Chauhan (right) and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (left) at an IAF conclave.

(HT)

Such a change, he said, will not be easy as it will require “overcoming legacy habits and institutional silos,” adding that the integration drive must respect the uniqueness of each service and “uniformity cannot be imposed where it does not fit.

“We will face challenges as we move towards jointness. But through dialogue, understanding and respect for traditions, we can overcome these hurdles. Every service must feel that the others understand their challenges, and every tradition must be honoured as we build new systems together,” Singh said at a conclave organised by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Fostering Jointness: Synergy Through Shared Learning.