New Delhi: As India begins work on the ambitious theaterisation plan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that enhancing jointness is essential and that inputs from all stakeholders would be taken into consideration for the new structure.
In an address at a conference of the top commanders of the Indian Air Force (IAF), he also referred to the "volatile" situation on India's borders and asserted that the armed forces need to be prepared to respond at a short notice to any contingency, officials said.
The defence minister appreciated the IAF for maintaining a high level of preparedness, ability to respond on short notice and displaying high standards of professionalism in carrying out operational and peacetime tasks, they said.
The commanders of the IAF will carry out a comprehensive review of India's security challenges along the borders with China and Pakistan at the conference from November 10-12.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari briefed Singh on various operational aspects of the IAF.
In his address, Singh said that the role of IAF in future conflicts is crucial and it needs to harness the capabilities and opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, big data handling and machine learning.
"Expounding on theaterisation, he mentioned that enhancing jointness is essential and the structure should be evolved after closely examining various options, and inputs from all stakeholders would be taken into consideration," the IAF said in a statement.
The armed forces are likely to firm up by the middle of next year a roadmap for rolling out the theatre commands that are expected to ensure optimum utilisation of the military resources and enhance India's war-fighting capability.