Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 24 June 2025 authorised the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs to issue joint instructions and orders applicable to all three armed services — Army, Navy, and Air Force.
This move represents a major step toward the modernisation and transformation of India’s Armed Forces.
According to the Defence Ministry, the change replaces the previous system, where each service issued separate instructions even on matters concerning multiple services.
The joint order aims to:
- Streamline procedures
- Eliminate redundancies
- Enhance cross-service cooperation
It lays the foundation for:
- Improved transparency and coordination
- Greater administrative efficiency
- A new era of jointness and integration in the Indian Armed Forces
This marks a unified approach to national defence and reinforces the Armed Forces’ unity of purpose.
