The Hindu : New Delhi News : Centre to come up with joint service doctrine

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 25, 2004

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New Delhi

Centre to come up with joint service doctrine

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 24. The Government said on Thursday that it was planning to come out with the first-ever joint service doctrine which will be based on the study of military history, principles of war, combat leadership and application of military power in the Indian scenario.

The joint doctrine, being formulated by the Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, would broadly cover strategic military aspects and consultations are on with the three services, said the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, in reply to questions in the Rajya Sabha.

The three armed services already have separate doctrines and indications of the move to unveil a joint doctrine were given by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Arun Prakash earlier this month.

The Navy chief had declined to set a time frame for the doctrine in view of the complexities involved but said a joint doctrine was inevitable. "There is no choice. We have to synergise,'' he had said interacting with newspersons just before Navy Day.

The Navy had released its doctrine in the middle of this year while the Army released the non-classified portion of its doctrine this month. Indian Air Force has had two doctrines and unconfirmed reports suggest that the latest one was updated recently.

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