India’s inaugural Ran Samvad 2025 at the Army War College, Mhow, sparked a constructive debate on theaterisation, with senior leadership affirming integration as the end-state while cautioning against hasty restructuring without requisite Indian Air Force (IAF) modernisation in fighters, force multipliers, and refuelling assets. On August 27–28, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan acknowledged “dissonance” among services but said differences are being addressed in a conducive setting, as Navy Chief Adm Dinesh K Tripathi termed theaterisation the “ultimate goal,” and Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh urged deliberate, India-specific joint structures over imported models, favouring joint planning with decentralised execution. The government’s January 1 declaration of 2025 as the “year of defence reforms” underscored plans to unveil integrated theatre commands, with options discussed including two land theatres for China and Pakistan and a maritime command, contingent on resolving complex force-structure issues and closing capability gaps such as aerial refuellers and AEW&C. Analysts warn that following Western templates risks misalignment with India’s geography, threat matrix, and resource envelope, potentially diluting airpower flexibility if command spans and asset densities are not tailored to subcontinental contingencies and joint C4ISR realities.