Maritime Theatre Command to be launched next year; Read more-

New Delhi, Dec 16: In a major development, the country’s first Maritime Theatre Command (MTC) is set to be launched in 2021. The country’s first MTC will have full operational control over the western and eastern naval fleets, maritime strike fighter jets and transport aircraft, two amphibious infantry brigades, and coastal patrol vessels.

 

 

The MTC will be the first new “geographical” theatre command to be created as part of the biggest-ever military restructuring plan. It is to build an integrated land-air-sea war-fighting machinery for greater combat punch in a more cost-effective manner.

 

The MTC will look after the 7,516-km long coastline, the entire Indian Ocean Region and the 1,382 islands. This initiative is important to counter the Chinese ever-expanding naval foot-print in the Indian Ocean Region. China has the largest Navy with 350 warships and submarines.

 

The MTC will subsume the Western Naval Command (Mumbai), tri-service Andaman and Nicobar Command (Port Blair), Eastern Naval Command (Vizag), and the southern Air Command (Thiruvananthapuram). The MTC will report to the joint chiefs of staffs committee led by the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.

 

The main aim of the MTC is to integrate the assets of the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Army and the Coast Guard. All will be under a common theatre commander. The 91 Brigade located at Thiruvananthapuram and the 108 Brigade located at Port Blair is to bring the requisite “Expeditionary Reaction Capability” of land forces to it.

 

The Western and Eastern Coast Guards along with their patrol boats, helicopters and aircraft will be responsible for coastal security under the MTC.The BrahMos cruise missiles, Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets at Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu and the Jaguar fighter jets at Jamnagar and other air assets operating under the Southern Air Command will in turn report to the MTC.