Joint Army, Navy & IAF training command in the works, Nagpur a probable base
The Indian military is actively deliberating on forming a new joint training command to meet the training needs of all of its three branches, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, The Print has heard.
While the location for the tri-service command is yet to be decided, Nagpur is being discussed as an option, said sources of highly placed security. The command structure has yet to be finalized.
The development has also put the Army’s proposal to move its training command ARTRAC from Shimla to Meerut on hold, for now, sources told ThePrint.
“The idea of a joint training command is being deliberated for the three services. At this point, it may not be necessary to move ARTRAC from Shimla, “a senior defense official said. The official added that talks will be taking place about how to merg the current training commands into the new system.
Although training command for the Army is in Shimla, training command for the Air Force is located in Bengaluru. The Navy lacks a dedicated training unit. All Navy training-related facilities fall under the Southern Naval Command’s purview.
The push towards a joint training command is a continuation of the process that started in 2018 when the former chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) Admiral Sunil Lanba, in the presence of then Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat and IAF chief B.S.Dhano issued a joint doctrine for the services.
In addition to proposing that there would be a tri-service approach to modernizing the three branches, the joint doctrine had suggested joint staff preparation, a single command, and a control system.
