Arunachal Governor Calls for Integrated Theatre Commands to Counter China

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K T Parnaik on Tuesday called for India to accelerate the formation of fully integrated theatre commands under the Chief of Defence Staff, while also building stronger capabilities in cyber, space, and electronic warfare.

He was addressing a two-day 'China Seminar' held at Likabali Military Station in Lower Siang district on March 23 and 24 — a focused strategic discussion on India's security posture along its northern borders.

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The governor stressed that faster decision-making, unified command structures, and improved logistics along the Himalayan border are essential for rapid mobilisation and coordinated operations in any future contingency.

He pointed out that China's armed forces already operate through integrated and centralised command and control systems, enabling seamless coordination across services through networked platforms and joint theatre commands capable of multi-domain operations.

India, he implied, must match that structural readiness.

Drawing on more than four decades of military service — including extensive tenures along the northern borders from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh and in Bhutan — Parnaik outlined the depth of China's technological investment.

He noted that China treats cyberspace as a key domain for both offensive and defensive operations, and that its military prioritises electronic warfare and spectrum dominance through surveillance, jamming, and countermeasures designed to disrupt adversaries while protecting its own communications.

He also highlighted China's rapid advances in autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, and AI-enabled decision support tools that are reshaping operational speed and battlefield awareness in modern warfare.

Parnaik called on India to build up its own capabilities in cyber defence, satellite surveillance, electronic warfare, and AI-enabled intelligence systems to keep pace with the evolving nature of conflict, which he said now extends well beyond conventional battlefields.

"Enhancing institutions such as the Defence Cyber Agency and the Defence Space Agency would help secure communications, disrupt adversary networks and maintain information dominance," he said.

The governor also underlined the importance of strategic partnerships, citing the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) as a key mechanism for strengthening deterrence and stability across the Indo-Pacific.

He said joint exercises, intelligence sharing, and coordinated maritime presence collectively improve preparedness and send a clear signal against unilateral aggression.

Parnaik concluded by stating that military readiness, technological superiority, and robust alliances together form the foundation of an effective deterrence framework to protect India's national interests.