The proposed formation of theatre commands for the armed forces has acquired new contours. The western theatre, focused on Pakistan, is likely to be headed by an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, while the northern theatre, oriented towards China, will be led by an Army officer. The maritime theatre command, on expected lines, will be headed by a Navy officer.The plan will require approval from the Ministry of Defence as well as the Cabinet Committee on Security.Theatre commands refer to geographically defined operational areas, each headed by a military commander who controls all war-fighting assets, including aircraft, helicopters, guns, tanks, equipment and personnel.Under the revised proposal, the IAF is set to be the permanent lead for the western theatre. This follows the impact of IAF strikes during Operation Sindoor in May last year. The allocation of theatre commands is now largely fixed, with little likelihood of rotation — unlike an earlier proposal that envisaged rotational leadership between the Army and the IAF.The military is also considering the creation of a Vice Chief of Defence Staff, along with deputy commanders for all theatres, who would be drawn from different services to ensure jointness.With the current Chief of Defence Staff set to retire in May, the revised proposal could be presented before the end of his tenure. A key issue remains the division of IAF assets, with some strategic capabilities likely to be centrally controlled from Delhi to enable seamless operations across theatres.These developments come ahead of the second edition of ‘Ran Samwad’, the Indian military’s brainstorming session.At the previous edition held in August last year, sharp differences had emerged among the top military leadership over the structure of theatre commands. Navy Chief Admiral DK Tripathi had supported theaterisation as a long-term goal, while IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had urged caution, suggesting an alternative coordination model led by the service chiefs.Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan had acknowledged the “dissonance” and said efforts were underway to resolve it.