The triservice insignia of India.
New Delhi: The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) is gearing up to launch a five-day crash course for senior military officers to foster greater jointness and integration among the three military services. This initiative, known as the Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE) programme, will run from Monday, September 9, to Friday, September 13.
The CORE programme is designed to prepare senior officers for leadership roles by honing their skills in strategic planning and enabling them to anticipate and prepare for future threats and conflicts. The course will feature panel discussions and lectures by 30 eminent speakers and subject matter experts from various fields. Participants will include two-star officers (major generals and equivalent ranks) from the three services, as well as officials from the Ministry of Defence, External Affairs Ministry, and Ministry Home Affairs.
This development comes at a crucial time when the Indian armed forces are moving towards theaterization, a long-awaited reform aimed at optimizing the military’s resources for future warfare. Theaterization involves creating theatre commands that integrate the capabilities of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force to operate cohesively in a specific geographical area.
The CORE programme is seen as an essential step towards achieving this goal by fostering jointness and integration among the services.
The defence ministry highlighted the importance of the programme, stating that the effective conduct of future wars will hinge on three vital elements: military leaders, combatants (man-machine interface), and support staff. The ministry also emphasized the need for senior military leaders to stay abreast of changing geopolitical dynamics and futuristic combat scenarios augmented by disruptive technologies.
The programme’s launch follows the recent Joint Commanders’ Conference – 2024 in Lucknow, where the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, underscored the need for a joint vision and a synergized response to provocations. The three services have said they are ready with the blueprint of the theaterization model and will present it to the government for final approval soon.
