CDS Empowered to Issue Joint Orders for Army, Navy & Air Force for Enhanced Coordination
In a significant reform aimed at modernising the Indian Armed Forces, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has authorised the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to issue Joint Instructions and Joint Orders applicable to all three Services — the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
This new policy move replaces the earlier practice where each Service issued separate orders for matters involving more than one branch. The decision is a pivotal step towards greater synergy, coordination, and operational unity within the armed forces.
The first such Joint Order, titled “Approval, Promulgation and Numbering of Joint Instructions and Joint Orders”, was issued on June 24, 2025. It lays the foundation for streamlined procedures, elimination of redundancies, and improved administrative efficiency.
This initiative marks the beginning of a new era of jointness and integration, enhancing transparency and reinforcing the unity of purpose across all military branches in the service of the nation.
Source: PIB
