As the tri-services pursue the formation of unified theatre commands, the Government has formally approved the first set of joint structures to handle the logistics and boost integration among forces.
The first three joint logistics nods (JLNs) at Mumbai, Guwahati and Port Blair will handle the small arms ammunition, rations, FOL (fuels, oils and lubricants), general stores, civil-hired transport, aviation clothing, spares and engineering support to all the three services.
Each of the JLNs will have a lead service which will take care of all provisioning and procurements. While JLN at Mumbai will be led by the Indian Navy, Indian Army will lead the JLNs at Guwahati and the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC).
In addition to the a forementioned three JLNs, similar nodes will also come up in other parts of the nation as functional theatre commands take shape and manifest over the coming years. These will likely ensure cost-effectiveness in operations.
The formation of the theatre commands is an initiative of the Government to reform and transform the three services and boost integration. The efforts in this regard are being led by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, who stated in a seminar last week that the integrated commands will “become operational in next two to three years”.
