Rajya Sabha Passes the inter-services organisation bill
26-08-2023
01:27 PM
What’s in today’s article?
- Why in news?
- News Summary: The inter-services organisation bill
- Key provisions of the Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023
- What will change with the enactment of the bill?
- Is this bill a precursor to theaterisation?
Why in news?
- The Rajya Sabha has passed the Inter-Services Organisation (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill – 2023. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 4.
- The bill empowers the commander-in-chief and the officer-in-command of inter-services organisations with disciplinary and administrative powers over personnel from the other services serving in them.
News Summary: The inter-services organisation bill
Key provisions of the Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023
- Applicability
- It is applicable to all personnel of regular Army, Navy and Air force, and to persons of other forces as notified by the Central Government, who are serving in or attached to an Inter-Services Organisation.
- Empowers Commander-in-Chief of Inter-Services Organisations
- The bill seeks to empower Commander-in-Chief and Officer-in Command of Inter-Services Organisations with all disciplinary and administrative powers.
- This is to enable them to take decisions related to personnel serving in or attached to such organisations.
- At present, all Army, Navy and IAF personnel are governed by their service-specific acts.
- The service personnel serving in or attached to an Inter-Services Organisation will continue to be governed by their respective Service Acts.
- However, this bill will empower heads of Inter-Services Organisations to exercise all the disciplinary and administrative powers as per the existing service acts, and related rules and regulations, irrespective of the service they belong to.
- Empowers the central government to constitute an Inter-Services Organisation
- The bill also empowers the central government to constitute an Inter-Services Organisation.
- This paves the way for the creation of integrated theatre commands — a major military reform on cards.
- The bill will aid better coordination among the defence forces, and bring about better jointness and integration within the military.
- This is significant against the backdrop of new challenges involved in modern warfare which is more technology and network-centric.
- The bill is an Enabling Act
- The bill is essentially an Enabling Act and it does not propose any change in the existing Service Acts/Rules/Regulations.
- Service personnel when serving in or attached to an Inter-Services Organisation will continue to be governed by their respective Service Acts.
What will change with the enactment of the bill?
- The heads of the existing inter-services organisations presently do not have these powers.
- The inter-services organisations include the Strategic Forces Command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command and joint training establishments such as the National Defence College, among others.
- Hence, any disciplinary or administrative action against personnel attached to these organisations have to be referred to their respective services.
- The enactment of the Bill will ensure maintenance of effective discipline in inter-services establishments by their heads.
- There will be no requirement of referring personnel undergoing disciplinary proceedings to their parent services.
- It will also lead to faster disposal of cases of misdemeanour or indiscipline.
Is this bill a precursor to theaterisation?
- Theaterisation is a concept which seeks to integrate the capabilities of the three services - army, air force and navy – in order to optimally utilise their resources for wars and operations.
- A theatre command/unit will be created by integrating elements/assets from all the three services.
- Currently, the plans are to establish three theatre commands—one facing Pakistan, one facing China, and a maritime theatre command, largely taking care of the peninsular India.
- With the Indian Armed Forces drawing up the finer details of the integrated theatre commands, this bill can be considered one of the several steps paving the way for their establishment.
- As per the defence minister, if theaterisation happens, this Act, through a normal notification, would be effective on theatre commands too.
Q1) What is Strategic Forces Command?
The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) is a specialized military command in India responsible for the management and operational control of the country's strategic nuclear forces. It was established to handle India's nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, including ballistic missiles and other means of nuclear deterrence. The creation of the Strategic Forces Command was a significant step in India's defense policy, aimed at ensuring the credibility and effectiveness of its nuclear deterrence capability.
Q2) What is the Andaman and Nicobar Command ?
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is a tri-service military command of the Indian Armed Forces that is responsible for the defense and security of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a group of islands located in the Bay of Bengal. The ANC was established to ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of these islands, as well as to enhance India's military presence and capabilities in the strategic maritime region.
Source: The inter-services organisation bill and how it paves the way for establishment of theatre commands | PIB | Economic Times | Times of India