Combined Commanders Conference 2025

Combined Commanders Conference 2025

Why in News? 

Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) 2025 at the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army at Vijay Durg in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Key Highlights of Combined Commanders Conference (CCC) 2025

• Venue: The Combined Commanders’ Conference 2025 is being held in Kolkata, West Bengal from 15 to 17 September 2025.

• Participation: The Prime Minister inaugurated the event on 15 September 2025.. Alongside him, the Raksha Mantri, Raksha Rajya Mantri, the National Security Advisor, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Defence Secretary attended the sessions. Senior officers from all three services and the Integrated Defence Staff also participated.

• Theme: This year’s theme is “Year of Reforms – Transforming for the Future”, which reflects the strong emphasis on structural change and innovation.

• Focus Areas: 

• • The CCC 2025 is focused on Reforms, Transformation & Change and Operational Preparedness, which is focused on institutional reforms, deeper integration and technological modernisation.
  • The session is focused on readiness across land, sea, air and space domains. India continues to face complex security conditions along its borders with China and Pakistan, while also dealing with maritime concerns in the Indian Ocean Region.
  • It is focused to equip India’s armed forces for an increasingly unpredictable geopolitical environment. Global powers are modernising, for India, it is essential that resources are directed towards immediate security.

What is the Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC)?

• The Combined Commanders’ Conference, often known as CCC, is one of the most significant platforms where the highest levels of India’s defence establishment come together to share views, evaluate priorities and set the future direction of the armed forces. 
• It is a comprehensive exercise in strategic planning that connects the leadership of the Army, Navy and Air Force with the senior levels of government. 
• The CCC is held once every two years, making it a biennial event. 
• It acts as the apex forum for dialogue between civil leadership and the armed forces. 
• At this platform, chiefs of the three services, senior commanders and representatives of the defence ministry take part in long discussions that cover operational matters, policy decisions and future strategies. 
• It helps the leadership review operational preparedness and assess the evolving regional and global security environment.
• The first few conferences were organised in New Delhi, but later the government decided to take the event to different parts of the country, such as in 2017 when the CCC was held in Dehradun and in 2021 when it took place in Kevadia, Gujarat.

Significance of Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC)

• Platform for Joint Military Planning: The CCC creates space where the Army, Navy and Air Force can present their perspectives in a single forum. India has around 1.5 million active military personnel, and their operational requirements are vast and diverse. The CCC ensures that the three services align their strategies, plan joint exercises and review integrated defence structures.

• Bridge Between Military and Civil Leadership: The presence of the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and senior officials makes the CCC a unique bridge between uniformed services and political leadership. This interaction is crucial because strategic decisions, budget allocations and defence reforms depend on civilian approval. In 2021, when the CCC was organised in Kevadia, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of indigenisation and jointness in operations.

• Focus on Emerging Security Domains: Modern warfare is no longer limited to land, air and sea. Cyber threats, space-based assets and artificial intelligence have become important dimensions. In recent years, the armed forces have created specialised agencies such as the Defence Cyber Agency in 2019 and the Defence Space Agency in 2019. The CCC becomes the point where integration is discussed and priorities are identified.

• Guidance for Long-Term Reforms: The CCC also serves as a guide for reforms in organisational structure, training and resource management. India has been working on the creation of integrated theatre commands, and discussions at CCC have often shaped this reform process. Defence expenditure for 2024–25 stands at more than ₹6.2 lakh crore, and effective utilisation of this budget requires long-term planning. 

Steps Taken by Government to Strengthen the Armed Forces

• Department of Military Affairs (2019): In December 2019 the government established the Department of Military Affairs under the Ministry of Defence. This was the first major institutional reform aimed at giving the military a stronger role in decision-making. The Chief of Defence Staff was placed in charge of this department, which allows the three services to coordinate better.

• Integrated Theatre Commands: The government has been working on restructuring the armed forces into integrated theatre commands to promote jointness. This reform is intended to replace service-specific commands with unified commands that control resources across Army, Navy and Air Force. By 2023 pilot plans were under review. Once implemented, this structure will reduce overlap, cut costs and improve joint operations in war and peace.

• Indigenous Production: The focus on Atmanirbhar Bharat has transformed procurement policies. Since 2020 the Ministry of Defence has released several lists of items banned for import, which forces domestic production. For example, more than 400 items were moved to the import ban list by 2023. The government has also increased the defence capital outlay.

• Operational Preparedness: After the 2020 Galwan clash, the government made operational readiness a top priority. Additional funds were released for infrastructure development along the northern borders. The Border Roads Organisation completed several projects such as bridges, tunnels and highways to improve troop movement. In 2022 the BRO completed the world’s highest motorable road at Umling La in Ladakh, which strengthened connectivity.