Armed Forces to get 3 joint military stations, common education corps

In a major step towards greater integration of the Armed Forces, the military will set up three new joint military stations on the mainland, create a common education corps and implement key transformations across the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The decisions were announced on the final day of the Combined Commanders’ Conference (September 15-17) in Kolkata. The office of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, who also heads the Department of Military Affairs, released details of the outcomes.

A key decision is the creation of three joint military stations, where all three Services will share a common establishment. Until now, the only tri-services command with such facilities has been in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The new stations are expected to be located on the mainland.

Another landmark reform is the merger of the education branches of the three Services into a single “Tri-Services Education Corps”. This will mean a unified cadre for training institutions, including the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and the IAF Academy.

The CDS also reviewed directions given earlier in the conference by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Both had stressed the urgency of jointness and integration to meet future security challenges.

A post from the CDS office on X said the conference had “identified and finalised the most important transformations required that will drive impactful changes in the future”.

The Ministry of Defence, in a statement, said the deliberations focused on enhancing interoperability, streamlining decision-making and reforming institutional structures for space, cyber, information and special operations. It also emphasised adopting a technology-led approach to modern warfare, with innovations seamlessly integrated into operational doctrine.

This year’s conference, themed “Year of Reforms-Transforming for the Future”, began with a demonstration by the joint operations command centre, followed by a live air defence drill showcasing advanced air surveillance, missile defence and counter-drone capabilities.

The apex-level forum brought together top decision-makers from the Ministry of Defence and the three Services to discuss evolving security dynamics across India’s borders and beyond.

Box: Joint Military Space Doctrine Released

The conference also saw the release of the “Joint Military Space Doctrine”, marking a milestone in institutionalising space as a key element of India’s national security strategy.