Peninsular command by next year-end, theatre commands by 2022: Gen. Rawat

News: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said that Western and the Eastern Command of the Indian Navy will be merged into a single command, to be called the Peninsular Command, and theatre commands will be rolled out by 2022.

Facts:

Theatre Command

• It is a joint command which unifies and places the resources of all forces i.e. IAF, the Army and the Navy at the command of a single senior military commander.
• Existing commands in India: 
• 19 commands [14 geographic commands, 3 functional and 2 joints: the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)].

Note: A command is an organizational unit for which a military commander is responsible.

Additional Information:

CDS: It is a permanent position for a combined head of the tri-services i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force.